I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Dancing

This is perfect…

Keiya sat wrapped in Riku's embrace beneath a large, shady oak tree. The air was damp and the heat unbearably sticky, but the shadows of the trees provided a little bit of relief from the sweltering humidity. The sky was a sunless dark blue-gray, spotted with large clouds that threatened to open up any minute. Riku's strong arms fully encircled her, hugging her around the middle from behind so that she was leaning back against his chest, he against the tree trunk. His lips grazed over her hair at the top of her head. Around them, cicadas hummed and bees buzzed as they began to take shelter from the inevitable rain that would soon wash down over them. Keiya leaned back further into him when she felt his arms shift and hold her tighter. She didn't ever want to move; just the sensation of his arms around her—his touch to her body—sent her into a hypnotic state, in which she was completely at the mercy of this charm he could lay over her. She lightly held his arms in place, letting her hands trail over his warm, muscular skin. Despite the uncomfortable heat and the clouds that were forming over head, everything was perfect. She had never been one for thunderstorms, since they always had gotten in the way of her escapes, but she couldn't wait for the rain to cool them off. It was so muggy that she even resorted to wearing a tank top today, with a simple knee length skirt. She didn't care about being self-conscious right now—it was much too hot. Riku had even opted to leave his white, short over-jacket at the house, too, and wore only his black, no-sleeve zip-up shirt.

It was an almost dream-like atmosphere; the sky was a deep, dark cerulean with just a hint of sunlight from behind the massive clouds. The insects' humming had blended into a kind of background music and the grass was cool since there was no light to warm it.

Riku couldn't get enough of the moment; he wanted to absorb and be able to relive every second of it. He took in the scent of her hair, savoring the sweet, subtle hint of lilac, then shifted a little and lowered his head to her shoulder, where he could better detect it. They had been out in this infant forest all morning, talking and wandering around aimlessly. It was no different than every other time they went out, but it was definitely a much-needed day together. He felt so lucky just to have her by his side again, when he had been starting to think the other night that their riot would never end. He realized now that he wanted to take on an even more active role in her life; he couldn't ever let her slip away again. He wanted to be able to protect her at a moment's notice—to be always ready to claim her as his—so that last night's mistakes would never be repeated. He wanted her to come back to the islands with him—he vowed to make her come back with him. There was no alternative; he wouldn't be able to live if she went back to Maleficent's lair. He knew he would blame himself for it, as always. When she cried, when she was lonely, when she was in pain, he wouldn't be able to do anything to help her. She would get hurt—how could he let her go? And he couldn't let her stay here, either, even with their friends. He wanted her to come home, and he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Trying to think of this as a silly fling or a 'summer romance' that he could shrug off made him sick—he was in love, with his heart lain at her feet, and starting to become desperate by her constant refusals. How could she expect him to leave her behind, after she had turned his life upside-down? There was only one more month left in their stay; he needed to start coming up with a way to get her to agree. Otherwise, he might have to drag her onto the ship forcibly—maybe even drug her himself. He hadn't brought the topic up yet, and he didn't plan on doing so for a few more days so that they could settle down and forget the explosive fight they had just resolved. But he couldn't go home without her. He would have to think of something.

With some effort, he managed to ease the thought out of his mind for now and let himself enjoy the moment. He had pulled her down into this position a while ago to rest. It didn't matter that it was disgustingly humid and that a rainstorm was on its way—she drew his attention away from all that. His heart leapt with panic that she would get up when she leaned back a little, more into him, and caused his face to bury itself further into her shoulder. The softness of her skin and the sweet scent that radiated from it taunted him like a forbidden drug; he couldn't bring himself to withdraw. She didn't move at all; she just rested comfortably in his arms, leaning back into his chest. He held her to him possessively, his arms around her upper waist. Every night as he watched over her, he couldn't help but be drawn to the mysterious allure and beauty of her figure, the contrasting shades of her hair and skin. Being so close to her brought him a surge of excitement, egging him on to brush his mouth against her delicate shoulder discreetly. His whole body was begging him to kiss her, on her lips, her shoulder—whatever—just to take this chance while he could, before the rain came or before she could stand up. He felt like he was being teased; her flawless, silken off-white velvet practically made his jaw tremble in temptation. His head spun in anxious debate until he finally couldn't suppress the urge any longer; he bravely pulled her hair back over her shoulder and let his lips graze the base of her neck.

Keiya felt a shiver run down her spine with his head resting in her shoulder, his hot breath now able to tease her skin. She heard thunder crack in the distance, but paid it no mind as his lips gently touched the skin of her neck, briefly and lightly. The feeling, although subtle and quick, was explosive for her. She immediately felt addicted; it was a sensation that she had never experienced before, and despite how flustered it was making her, she relished in it. He trailed a short series of light kisses down the length of her nape. Her skin tingled in anticipation and her blood rushed from just the simple touch of his lips. She had no idea what had come over her, but she prayed to God that this wasn't a dream and that he wouldn't stop. She held his warm, strong arms firmly around her and she automatically let her head fall back just a tiny bit so that his kisses could continue. At her acceptance, he daringly pulled her closer to him so that he could reach her collar bone from behind. He let his lips glide over her skin, pausing occasionally to plant soft, lingering kisses on her creamy flesh. He felt absolutely high on the moment, finally able to quench his thirst to taste her tantalizing skin, to satisfy his need to be closer to her.

With one last sweep of his lips to the base of her collar, he took a breath and nuzzled into her shoulder again. Two days wasted, he thought. Two days they could have spent together. What am I talking about—she is coming back with me. We'll always have time together…

She swallowed, well aware that she was blushing and that he could probably feel the blood rushing to her face. His hair and breath tickled her skin as he held her tightly, letting his head rest against the back of her shoulder. She found herself too thoughtless to even try to piece words together, but there didn't seem to be anything to say. It wasn't fair—he was leaving her for good in thirty day. Just thirty days. She felt nauseous every time she thought about it. She couldn't fathom not waking up to see him out in the hallway, ready with teases and plans for the day. It seemed like two months had past in the blink of an eye, and now here they were, at the beginning of their final month together. Unless she decided to go back with him. But that couldn't happen—she knew it couldn't. It would be wrong.

I wish it could be like this forever… When he leaves, I'll never see him again. Ever… I almost can't even imagine it…

At the next crack of thunder, much nearer to them than the last, Riku reluctantly released his arms from around her. The sky above them was darkening by the minute; it's ominous hue threatened downpour. The large rain clouds were starting to make headway above the village, a little ways off. He took his time standing up, leaving Keiya on the ground to look up at him longingly. He stretched his arms to shake off the drowsiness that had settled from their lack of motion and the lazy heat, then smiled down at her and extended a hand to help her up.

"I want to show you something before it starts to rain. Will you come?" he asked hopefully, his face lit up. She nodded, took his hand, and let him pull her right into him effortlessly. Just seeing him so happy overjoyed her; sometimes she wondered how she had managed to get through the days before this, when there was just training with Sai in the dreary castle, day after day, never anything to look forward to or appreciate. She almost felt like she was a completely different person now, and that the girl living under the heavy roof with forbidden outside exposure was just a sad, small memory that she could easily put out of mind. At least, she could with Riku distracting her. She hated thinking back now that things were different. She wished they could just disappear, Maleficent and Sai, so that she could just live her life the way it was now, forever. But being able to forget, even for just a few minutes, was magical enough.

~…~

From the moment he first walked through those tremendous, ornate double doors of Hollow Bastion, Sai knew that nothing in his life would ever be the same again. But at the time, he didn't realize the extent of the truth in that statement. He had moved into a military camp, it seemed. He had no time to himself; he wasn't allowed to wander the immense fortress: his new home; he wasn't allowed to 'fool around'—he had to train. She wanted him to train all day. But he never listened; how could she expect him to? There were too many rules and training sessions for such an energetic child—what was the point in living in such an amazing castle if he would never get to explore it? He still couldn't find his way around the winding halls and broken stairwells, and even though it was only his second week here, Maleficent would scold him when he was late for training. How could he help it if he got lost? No one showed him around; no one gave him a map. It was all so unfair.

Today, though, he was sure would be different. It was his first partner-training session, and he had made sure to leave his room over an hour early so he would be on time. Finally, he would be formally introduced to his teammate. He had only met her once before, in his two weeks here, a couple of days ago. He had stumbled into her in the hallway— she had come crashing into him as he rounded a corner. It was an embarrassing moment, and neither of them could find the means to speak. But the encounter had confused him; she wasn't wearing a uniform like the one he had been given, her skin was dirty and her hair a mess. She had just brushed right passed him and ran the rest of the way down the hall, not sparing him a glance. She was this blur of orange hair and blue, from her dress that he was sure couldn't be her uniform. In fact, she had moved so fast that he hadn't even gotten a good look at her face. It wasn't until later that he learned she was his comrade and not some beggar come to the castle. Maleficent told him so when he went to her for training later that day; she said that he had to pay very close attention and learn from her so he could catch up. (Imagine that!—he had to catch up, and he was only fourteen days here. He was easily frustrated by this insane logic.) But on a better note, he was hoping that now he could make a better first impression than she had, so that he might, for once in these two weeks, be praised and not reprimanded. Really, how hard was it for a boy to get some positive reinforcement?

He walked in circles until he found the large corridor, empty except for some shattered glass and crumbled concrete that led to the training room. He smiled triumphantly and sprinted down the hall, paying no regard to the hazardous waste on the floor. He was eager to meet her, this girl that he was joining in apprenticeship. She was almost his age, just seven months younger—he was already ahead of her in age. Maybe he could beat her in training today, too. But most of all, he wanted someone to talk to in this lonely palace. He had never had a friend before, had never been close to anyone his age before. Especially not a girl.

Maybe she'll go around the castle with me, in secret, since it's not allowed… I wonder what she's like… Maybe I can ask her what she does for fun around here…If all there is to do is train, I won't be able to stand it…

He imagined they would be put to the test, hopefully sparring, so he could fight someone other than a heartless. Although he'd rather not hurt a girl… he'd have to hold back, of course. But when he pushed the large doors open, he was greeted with a shriek. He jumped back immediately as he witnessed his new mistress shoot forth a large bolt of dark magic—the same thing he was being taught to use on a smaller scale—straight at the girl from the other day, his teammate. He blinked to try and get rid of this image, but it was really happening. She was hit dead on, not a shred of mercy evident in the attack. And she cried. He couldn't stand crying—his mom used to cry a lot, too. Maleficent turned to him with a terrifying look of annoyance that caused him to stumble back a step.

"You, get out!" she commanded firmly. The girl's cries from the corner echoed off the wall as her voice began dying out. He nodded stiffly and stepped out of the entry way, a few steps back from the nightmarish scene being played out before him. It was both fascinating and mortifying; he found he couldn't even bring himself to grasp onto the door and push it shut. He was torn between wanting to watch and wanting out, but at Maleficent's next glance over, he realized clearly his decision was being made for him. She shot him a second glare when he was still standing there, wide-eyed, and he shakily moved backward to oblige her. The girl in the corner seemed almost to disappear into the thick black fog that was gathering around her, and as it subsided, he saw her nearly choke on the clean air. He mustered the strength he could manage in this near petrified state and pushed the marble doors, but not before he caught sight of Maleficent hitting the girl with another good-sized jolt of darkness. He shuddered and let the door slam shut as the screaming started up again.

Torture—could he call it that? But what had she done? Maleficent told him that she was her apprentice of six years. That seemed like such a long time—he couldn't even imagine living here like this for that long. His mind hadn't thought that far ahead yet. In two weeks, he had been able to learn that his mistress was strict, intolerant to failure, and hard to please. But he hadn't gotten more than a stern lecture and a few raps on the face for misbehaving. He hadn't thought there would be serious punishments involved in this apprentice-thing. He just thought he could learn to fight better and have a place to live. Six years from now, would he be in her shoes?

~…~

"Okay, close your eyes," Riku said excitedly. She giggled at his enthusiasm; for some reason, she found this small, semi-child like nature in him charming. He was already holding her next to him to guide her, so she smiled and complied. She didn't mind letting him act as her eyes, even though with anyone else she'd be on edge every second of the way. She'd follow him anywhere—anywhere but his home.

They walked for only a few minutes, and he led her like he always did, gently and cautiously. She didn't even feel a branch brush her shoulder. As independent as she was—or liked to think she was—she loved the feeling of him taking care of her. She'd never admit it to him, but since she had never really had anyone act so sincere toward her, or treat her like a girl and not servant, (and Sai didn't count, because he was twisted,) she liked getting to be a little dependent. It made her feel like she was worth more than an assassination or a recon mission.

"Can I open them?" she asked when they stopped moving. She could hear birds flying from their nests at the next crack of thunder; the storm was probably coming their way.

"Go ahead."

At first, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Riku was before her, wearing the warm, trustworthy, confident smile that she loved so much, and there was just woods. It wasn't until she looked down at the grass to shake a bug off her leg that she realized what he wanted to show her. It was their peach pits—they had taken root and sprouted.

She broke into a smile and kneeled down to get a better look. There, amidst the wildflowers and long grass, were two small, green sprouts just peaking out of the ground. They were so adorable that she couldn't stop smiling. She hadn't ever bothered to think of how these things grew. She must have killed thousands of forests and their inhabitants, but never had she thought to try and grow something of her own.

He kneeled down next to her, amused at how fascinating she found the infant trees. "Mine's bigger."

She laughed, and then lightly pushed him over. He loved to make those kinds of arrogant, ridiculously competitive remarks to make her laugh. (Or compete back, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Especially not in this case—they were just peach trees). She stood up and wandered over to the tree where they had sat after swimming in the stream a few weeks ago, when she pushed him in. This whole town, and all the woodland surrounding it, had become incredibly cherished to her. It was their middle ground, between his home and her prison, where they had met and spent so much time together. This particular forest held such happy memories, even though she didn't want to be reminiscing already. He was still here—she had nothing to mourn over. That would be wasting the precious time they did have. The twenty-nine days left, and thirty including that day; she liked to make the number seem higher in her head. She didn't want to be counting, but she was—she couldn't help it.

She felt Riku come up from behind and stand next to her, but she needed a few seconds to find a smile to face him with. She didn't think she would ever, in these thirty days, get used to the idea of living on a separate world from him. She would go on missions to all different places, but never get any closer to him. There would be empty days without him to kill the time with. And there would always be that lingering, painful regret scraping at the back of her mind that she will have refused to go with him, that she will have left him to go to home without her, and that he would be living there, on his small, secluded paradise, and that she could have gone with him.

Riku could tell she was wrapped up in something, and that she probably didn't want to talk about it. She never really liked to talk about her troubles to begin with, but when she looked this suddenly saddened or distressed, he would rather steer her away from whatever was bothering her and not delve deeper into it. Besides, he had a pretty clear idea himself what the problem might be. Twenty-nine days—it was bothering him, too.

She felt his hand brush hers momentarily, and then his smooth voice followed. She was immediately distracted from the worry.

"Dance with me?"

"W-what?" she asked, convinced she hadn't heard him right. He was facing her expectantly with a welcoming smile and an outstretched hand. Her heart jumped in her chest; she had no idea what to do, or how to dance, for that matter. He had to be joking.

"Will you dance with me," he reiterated. "We didn't get a chance to last night."

"But… but there's no music," she pointed out. Her desperate excuse seemed to be amusing him more than they were declining his offer. He stepped closer to her and was about to pry her away from the tree, but she sidestepped away and wandered back over to their peace-tree sprouts in time. She could swear that sometimes he lived to embarrass her. Dancing? Sure, it looked fun, from what she had watched last night. She had even thought she might try it, if it was with Riku (and if he wasn't being such a jerk.) But now that he had asked her, she felt herself freeze up.

"C'mon, just for a minute," he tried, almost catching her hand. She folded her arms to her chest self-consciously. "I should have asked you when you were drunk. You were much nicer to me then—you would have said 'yes'."

"I don't know how to dance, Riku," she stressed, helpless at the determined look plastered on his face. Somehow or other, she knew he'd end up getting his way. She couldn't keep saying 'no' to him, and he was ready to exploit it. Caught on his last statement, she added, "And I would not have."

"Oh, you would've," he laughed teasingly, "You did take my shirt off, after all."

She flushed at the implication, a half-pout half-scowl surfacing on her face. He definitely thrived on embarrassing her. Riku changed the subject before he could get slapped again.

"Anyway, let's just try it. One minute, and then I'll leave you alone."

She swallowed, utterly beyond discomposure. She really did want to try it, at least once. To be able to stand so close to him—she'd die, for that. He held his hand out for her once more, and, biting her lip, she hesitantly took it. His face brightened right away.

"I don't know how to dance, though," she murmured again as he led her a few feet away from the baby tree sprouts.

"That's alright—I'll show you."

He placed his hands on her waist, (already, she felt flustered,) and stepped forward a little so that their bodies were brushing and she had to look up to face him. If she had been told before meeting Riku that she would eventually try to learn to dance, she wouldn't have believed it or given the idea a chance. But sure enough, he was exposing her to yet another seemingly foreign activity. And for once, she didn't think it so far-fetched or extravagant the way she had when on recon at new worlds, planning an attack for the following day. Festivals always had seemed a strange culture point, and she had always found them fascinating and over the top, unlike Sai who thought they were a waste of time. (But Sai's village had had its own festivals. She assumed he must have had bad experiences there; she knew his family had been the laughing stock of their town.)

"Now, put your arms around my neck," he told her, a small, eager blush starting to rise. She could have fainted from delighted skittishness—it was just like in her dream. She nodded and shyly, slowly brought her hands up to his chest, hesitated, then draped her arms over his shoulders and around his neck, like he asked. As soon as she did so, she found herself right up against him, not a hair's width of space between them. She prayed to God he wouldn't feel her heart beating; she was sure he could already hear it.

Riku let one of his arms crawl up to the small of her back and kept the other one steady on her waist.

"Okay, I'll lead. Just step where I do," he explained vaguely. She nodded like she knew what he was talking about, and prepared for the most humiliating moment of her life thus far. He took a baby step to one side, and automatically she looked down to watch their feet; she didn't want to trip or fumble with the motions. She felt Riku move a hand to her shoulder to help her along, and she continued to gaze at the ground and mirror his steps one after another. She was relieved that she could hide beneath her bangs, which were blocking his view of the ferocious blush adorning her face. Her downward-tilted forehead brushed against him, as did the rest of her body. It was electrifying; she felt light-headed and high and heated from the contact. She hadn't ever felt so fluttery before, and she could swear her heart was about to explode. The smell of his cologne and the scent of his flesh not even millimeters away enticed her. She half expected to faint from too much heat; between the humidity in the air, and leaning in his chest, right against him, with his hands holding her steady in his grasp, she could burn up as if she were in a fire. They weren't even twirling or doing fancy tricks—just taking small steps in a pattern that she was starting to memorize.

"Not so bad, right?"

"No…"

He lowered his hand from her shoulder back down to her waist since she seemed to be getting the hang of it. She was small and her frame delicate; he had a hard time trying to imagine this same girl, fiery but frail, out on a battlefield taking as many blows as she was dealing. And it disgusted him that she truly, truly and completely, believed that she was trapped, that she couldn't fight back against the witch holding her practically captive. There was so much doubt in her beneath the surface as to her ability. She obviously didn't think much of will-power as a key factor to her freedom, even though it was this same stubborn will-power keeping her inner being out of the darkness' reach for most of the day. As if leaving her behind wouldn't bring him enough disarray, he would be troubled day and night by the knowledge that she was making no progress in the way of escaping for good, because she just didn't think she could.

"You've got it," he encouraged weakly, trying to rid himself of the dreadful thoughts. He felt her hands slipping to his shoulders since she was focused on their feet, and took one of her hands in his own. "Keep your other hand on my shoulder."

"O-okay." She felt him entwine his fingers around hers and pull her closer to him so that she couldn't look down anymore. She was surprised she wasn't completely losing it, staring up at him, meeting his eyes. The phrase, 'one's heart is in her throat,' could not even begin to describe the sensation that built up inside her whenever she came face to face to him. He turned her inside-out.

"You're beautiful, you know," he said suddenly, after swallowing down nerves. He didn't seem nervous to her, though. His greatest skill was probably being able to fool her in that respect.

She blushed, and then when she realized she had no room to hide her face, blushed again. "O-oh… not really…"

He gave a short laugh, "That was a compliment—not a statement for debate. You don't have to be modest."

"Well, one of us has to be," she argued at his expense. She had never received any sort of compliment before, and needless to say, besides being in suppressed bliss, she was clueless. She decided just to play it normal so she could distract herself and so her blush would die down.

He cocked an eyebrow mock-surprised. "You're saying I'm immodest?"

"I already told you, you're arrogant," she stated flatly. He laughed and quickened the pace of their simple dance, subconsciously to try and match the racing of his heart. He let his hand drift from her back to just above her hip, gliding along the forbidden curve of her waist. (And if he had seen anyone try this with her at the dance last night, he would have knocked him senseless.)

"I think you like it. If I'm so arrogant, why don't you just ditch me?" he egged on playfully.

"I don't 'like' it." Actually, she found it alluring to a small degree, when he was being tolerable. She teased lightheartedly, "and I could use a break from you, now that you mention it. I haven't had a day to myself since I got here."

"With twenty-nine days left, you want a break? I don't think I can do that—you're stuck with me every second of every day," he taunted. He felt his nerves return when he realized what had slipped from his mouth, but he calmed himself quickly. He wouldn't take this any farther now; he couldn't stand another disagreement.

"Thirty," she corrected hastily, momentarily disheartened. "There are thirty days left."

"Twenty-nine. You're not supposed to count today."

"Right…" she trailed off, smiling weakly. He tightened his hold around her and encircled her in his free arm. He hadn't even realized they had stopped dancing. But when the dreaded topic came up, it seemed that the joy had been drained from the situation. He was going to wait to talk to her, at least another few days before he brought it up briefly. Keiya surprised him, however, by brushing it off. She tilted her head back with a rejuvenating laugh and leaned backward so that he let go of her. She was not going to let anything strain their relationship, not today, and hopefully not ever again in these twenty-nine… thirty days. She liked the number to seem higher.

"Anyway, are you happy now? You've had your dance. And it went over a minute." She wandered over to a large, shady tree, even though there was no sunlight to need protection from. Riku smiled, relieved, and followed her with his hands in his pockets.

"I don't think it counted, since we didn't have any music. But you can make it up to me tomorrow," he offered, brimming with self-confidence. She shook her head and sunk down to the ground against the tree, then brushed some dirt off her dress. He sat next to her.

"You can't always have your way, believe it or not," she joked, as if he were a spoiled prince and not a self-less, valiant warrior.

"Well, you still owe me eventually, because the score is four to one. You're falling behind pretty fast."

"What? Last night doesn't count!"

"Does too," he argued childishly. She rolled her eyes. "I saved you, and took care of you. That should count for two points, now that I think about it. Five to one," he announced. She lightly shoved him over in protest, earning only a smirk in return.

"You just can't bear to lose at anything, can you?" she marveled in amusement. "Sora was right—you are a sore loser. I think that last night should count as half a point, if at all."

"Half? So in other words, your life is worth only half a point to you," he provoked. He watched her gather her hair over to one shoulder and wring out a couple of leaves that had fallen in. Her smile would haunt him for years to come if he didn't get her home with him.

"My life wasn't in immediate danger, so you can have half a point. Three and a half to one," she settled firmly. He sighed, but nodded in serious agreement to humor her. "Fine. But I'll have to find a way to earn another half a point. I can't let the score add up with decimals."

"Good luck," she shrugged lightly, pretending to be preoccupied in twirling her hair. It was an act that she found herself unknowingly engaged in on occasion when she talked to him. When she glanced over at Riku, she saw him still sitting thoughtfully. Admittedly, she was very curious as to how he planned on earning 'half a point' to even the score out with whole numbers. This whole score thing was very adolescent, actually, but it had a certain charm about it that made her not mind it so much. His competitiveness had a charm, in a way. And she never thought she'd ever think something like that—that competitiveness could be charming, endearing. Sai's name ought to be the byword for competitive, and in him she saw nothing positive at all. When they were little, he couldn't stand that fact that she was younger and a girl, but still a rank ahead of him—as if rank mattered!—and that she was given 'special assignments' while he was given nothing of the sort. He never hated her for it or competed with her directly; it was actually more of a competition between him and Maleficent, and she just happened to be there in the middle of it. He wanted to be powerful. He thirsted for power so greedily—it was like a drug to him, she knew. As they grew older, he began wanting more and more control, and the boy she met when she was only eleven years old faded behind the heartless insignia he now wore so proudly on his chest. His warped 'competitiveness' was so paradoxical—it had nothing to do with jealousy of her, and nothing to do with grudges against her. It was strictly a simple desire to be the stronger one. He worked day and night to surpass her and claim the position he thought he should hold, as a boy over half a year older than her. And on top off all his competitiveness, he had the nerve to hold back while fighting her! Hold back as if he wanted to protect her, after what he did to her!

"You know…" Riku spoke up, "I think that I should get half a point for saving you, and another half for taking care of you. That'll bring us back to four to one. Does that sound fair?"

Keiya broke into hysterical laughter as she was snapped back into reality. She could have died laughing, it was so ridiculous. Riku's competitiveness was definitely a different matter than Sai's; she couldn't believe what he was dwelling over. She wiped her eyes as a small tear started to form, and then pushed him over, still trying to regain her breath. Riku found himself smiling at her, at her laugh. He took her shove without a fight, then shifted in front of her as she calmed down enough to talk.

"What? What's so funny?" he inquired in amusement. He leaned forward to see her face, which she was trying to cover up.

"You… you are so ridiculous!" she exclaimed, still stifling back her laughter. "It can count if you really want. If you care that much."

He eyed her with a bright, mischievous smile. "No, if you don't think it should count, then I'll think of something else. I want to win fair and square."

She pushed him back from her one last time, a light, dainty push, since she couldn't find the strength to do so significantly at the moment. He responded by grabbing her hands and pinning them down to the ground on either side. He leaned in playfully, kneeling in front of her, his face about half a foot away from hers.

"You know what? I danced with you. That should count as half a point," Keiya concluded. Riku shook his head wearing his famous smirk.

"I don't think so. 'My life wasn't in immediate danger'," he quoted obnoxiously.

"Well, then I'm not giving you the other half a point."

He leaned in further and rested his head against hers so he wouldn't have to hold himself up with as much effort. She could have melted; his hair tickled the side of her face, his breath teased her senses. She so wanted to remain in this dream as long as possible. And she wanted him to kiss her again.

"Then… I guess…" He swallowed; he forgot what he was going to say. But it didn't really matter, because she was hardly even listening. He brushed his mouth against hers for the briefest moment—just a second, and then released one of her hands so he could pull her hair back out of the way.

Keiya no longer felt the rough bark she was leaning against. Instead, she felt Riku's hand gently trailing up the side of her face to her bangs, where he brushed back a loose, messy strand of hair. Her eyes had shut long ago, and it no longer mattered that the thunder above them was becoming louder with each crack. Her blood rushed with excitement as his hand found a place at the side of her head, over her ear, entangled in her hair. She shuddered at his touch. Another teasing peck of his lips to hers sent her gripping the long blades of grass in anticipation.

When the kiss finally came, it was subtle. It was soft, just a couple of seconds long, and slowly turned into a real kiss of pent-up longing exploding into passion. One kiss, and then another, and then another more lasting than that. She found her other arm freed from his grip as his hand traveled up to her shoulder. His body against hers was heated; she didn't even mind the feeling of being cornered—a feeling she normally loathed. It brought a unique, amorous sensation of security. His hand moved to the back of her head to draw her even deeper into the burning, captive kiss. His lips caressed hers in such a way that the breathless feeling she was sure was present just melted away to the back of her mind. When they broke apart for a moment of air, she was actually panting. He hadn't kissed her this way before—never this ardently.

Riku kissed her the way she had tried to kiss him the previous night; the way he had wanted to, had she been sober. She brought her hands up to his shoulders, lured by the warm, toned skin of his arms. Right now, he couldn't think. Her small hands and their light touch were searing his body. Just the taste of her was driving him wilder by the second, not to mention the feeling of her body against his; the mysterious curves of her figure in his embrace. He teased her lower lip a little daringly; he wasn't even remotely conscious of his actions any more. He let his hand trail back down from her upper arm to her waist, where he held her securely against him.

It was the crackle of thunder that broke the lip lock permanently. It was such a loud crash in the air that they broke apart in surprise, both opening their eyes to observe the newly arrived grey cloud overhead. After a quick flash of lightening to follow, the couple jumped up to seek shelter.

"It's starting to pour…" Keiya observed as the skies opened up. Riku took her hand and pulled her along briskly so as to get out of the forest before any trees could be knocked over. He was too disappointed to speak; he should have known the rain would fall at the exact time to ruin the moment. He brought a hand up to his forehead, which felt damp with either sweat or the rainwater just starting to come down. But despite the downpour that he should have planned for better, their post-fight day went much better than he could have hoped for that morning.

~…~

Five days after his frightening encounter with the girl that was his comrade, Sai met her again— this time alone in the library. She looked completely different from before; her long hair was straighter and pulled back neatly over her shoulders. She wore a uniform now, too—a simple, proper, knee-length black dress with long sleeves and black tights underneath. She looked ready to go to a funeral. He approached her shyly from behind; she was focused on whatever book she was reading at one of the tables. She was smaller than him: that was another plus in his mind. He might actually be able to come out on top, for once in his life. He stood behind her for a few minutes, a good four feet back. She didn't even seem to realize he was there. He thought he might wait for her to finish reading and then talk to her, but she just proceeded to flip to the next page of her book, unaware of his presence. He was already getting frustrated.

"H-hey, you there!" he said awkwardly to get her attention. She turned around in her chair sharply with a gasp, coming face to face with him for the first time.

The first thing he noticed about her was that her eyes were swollen. Not swollen like when he'd fight someone and land a hit in the eye, but swollen from crying and staying up all night. Her hair and clothes were neat, but she looked like she hadn't slept in days. Standing there staring at her, he was suddenly at a loss of what to say next. He had so many things he wanted to ask—if she would go around the castle with him, why she hadn't been present all of his first week here, what had happened to her the other day, with Maleficent… But he could already see that she wasn't going to be the liveliest of play mates. She looked tired and worn-down, and appeared to be more into her book, which she had uncomfortably turned back to when he didn't say anything more.

Just one minute into this conversation and she was already ignoring him. Why was it so easy for other kids to make friends, but not for him?

"S-so, uh, you like to read?" he asked, coming up to her. She nodded hesitantly, not really all that enthusiastic about talking. This was that boy that had walked in while she was being punished; she'd felt so embarrassed that anyone had witnessed it. He was Maleficent's new project—a boy, this time, who would hopefully be stronger than her, since Maleficent was always complaining of her inability to fight hand-to-hand. She always thought that that was why her mistress had henchmen, but she supposed a child would be easier to train to be loyal. After all, just three weeks ago, Maleficent had given her the order to dispose of a handful of her men who were thought treasonous.

It was nearly impossible to concentrate with this boy leaning over her shoulder at the pages. She found herself staring at a spot on the oak-wood desk while she waited for him to leave. She was grateful, for a moment, that there were no more chairs at this table, and that he probably didn't know where the other ones were located since he was new here. But to her displeasure, he seated himself on the table. She knew he was her age and that he was an orphan, like her, but that was all. Maleficent had told her that she expected them to get along and work together, that they would be spending a lot of time together over the years with whatever it was she had in store. But her hopes for company were already shot down since he had seen her in such a sorry state the other day. No doubt, he thought she was a brat, and definitely a crybaby. It was like getting off on the wrong foot; it was her first time having someone to talk to, and there was already this burden weighing over her, this terrible first impression. She wasn't even sure whether or not she wanted someone else here. Part of her had been excited at the idea at first—excited for a change from the monotony, at least; but the other part was apprehensive since she had no idea who exactly this second apprentice would be. And she had never spoken to someone her age one on one before—only seen them from afar.

"Hey, don't you talk?" he asked in frustration. To tell the truth, he didn't know how he was supposed to get a conversation rolling. He was hoping she would, because every time he used to try in his village, he'd end up in a fight. When he saw her clutch her book in discomfort, though, he could have beaten himself up. He was already messing this up—couldn't she make it easier for him? He just wanted to talk to her; she didn't have to be so quiet.

"I mean, anyway… do you want to go exploring around the castle with me?" he asked, changing the subject in a last ditch attempt to save face. She shook her head.

"I'm not allowed."

"Oh…" he trailed off, flatly disappointed. "Does that mean I'm not allowed to, either?"

"I don't know," she said, shrugging. He was so animated and open to read; were all boys like this? Maleficent didn't leak too much to her about "ordinary people", but from she saw when she went out, they weren't so bad. Talking to someone like this was a strange concept, but maybe she could get used to it. He was still innocent—that was her first impression. Immature, a bit rough and rowdy, but innocent to the terrible power she knew he would be offered soon. She wished she could tell him to leave while he could.

"Would I get in trouble, like you?"

Her heart lurched at his ignorant question. She knew he would bring it up, eventually if not now. She knew he was talkative, but he was so much more immature than she thought. What kind of boy did Maleficent take in? She knew for a fact that her boss had no affinity for children, to say the very least. Keiya herself had been practically forced out of her childhood when she was brought here six years ago—she knew so because when she went into town by herself every so often, she'd see children doing silly, wasteful things like throwing a ball or chasing each other around in circles. And she did think that they were being childish and non-constructive, which depressed her more when she remembered that they were her age. While she didn't think she was missing much as far as their games went, the way they could act so freely without having to worry over how their master—or parents, she supposed—would punish them, made the idea attractive. But it was too late now, and she steered clear of those kids when she went to the towns. She had no idea how to associate herself with them; on so many levels, she was utterly beyond them. Or maybe, they were beyond her.

"N-no, but I don't think you're allowed…"

"What did you do to get into so much trouble?" he pressed blindly. She was so shy; he was starting to think there really wasn't any way to have fun around here. He couldn't see why she and his new boss couldn't just lighten up. But he agreed to this, so he knew he'd have to suck it up and get used to it. No matter how hard he tried to brush it off, though, the image of this same girl being hurt to tears just a few days ago was a weight on his mind. What was so terrible to deserve such a violent and uncivil punishment? He thought his parents had been hard on him, hitting him when he misbehaved, but torture was just outrageous. Hadn't she been hurt? And could that happen to him , too?

"I… I—"

"There you are—didn't I tell you to report to me today? You're twenty minutes late. I have work for you," Maleficent scolded flatly, taking long, threatening strides toward the table. Keiya jumped up out of her seat and smoothed her dress out a little bit, completely abandoning her book without even marking the page. Sai picked it up and used a loose paper to mark it for her, but she didn't notice.

"I-I was just—"

"No excuses," she interrupted.

"I'm sorry…"

Sai stood uneasily at the side of the table; he had risen when he saw how hurriedly Keiya had gotten up. He was still getting used to this respect thing. He wasn't sure if he should leave or if that would get him into trouble, but he didn't want to seem like he was eavesdropping. It was awkward just to stand there and watch.

"And I've already told you—don't come here when the council is in session!"

"But I didn't know they're here—"

"If you had come to me on time, you would have," she snapped. "I can't risk you being seen; all my future plans would be ruined. Lord knows none of those imbeciles can keep a secret. You're to stay in your room until they leave!"

"O-okay... Sorry..." she repeated pleadingly.

Standing there being reprimanded in front of this new boy was by far the most embarrassing moment in her life. She could die; she was so humiliated. It was like she was being dissected in front of him, on display. She couldn't even imagine the things he must be thinking about her. She tried not to look at him while Maleficent beat her down—she didn't want to have to face either of them, not at the same time.

Jeez—she's strict. Sai thought in astonishment. He had been yelled at already, too, but he didn't think she would be this impatient and picky with her first apprentice. He didn't feel so stupid, anymore, though. If she could get yelled at, then it probably wasn't as big a deal as he thought. He stayed put, standing at the other end of the table. He didn't want to get involved or draw attention to himself.

"And you—" her bellowing voice came at him, "—I heard talk that you were wandering around the front of the castle the other day. Don't. It does me to good if someone outside finds you, or finds out about you. And I can't guarantee your protection from the heartless—not until you're earned the privilege to command them."

He felt a chill run down his spine. "I was lost—"

"Don't waste words on excuses; just don't let it happen again. Consider this your first warning," she threatened. He and Keiya stood there in utter silence until he finally found the voice to give an affirmative reply. Keiya didn't feel so uncomfortable anymore, though, since she was chastising him, too.

"Now… you, come with me," she said, pointing toward Keiya. "I have a mission for you."

She nodded and silently followed Maleficent toward the door. There was no point in arguing; she knew she shouldn't have lost track of time. She looked over her shoulder once, at Sai—the boy for whom she still had no name—but couldn't find anything to say to him. Not that she would—not with Maleficent right there, in a foul mood. He looked back at her and held up her book, which he had marked, then put it on a bookshelf in an empty space, and made sure she saw. And, to her own disbelief, Keiya found it in herself to send him a smile.

~…~

Author's Note: This was a pretty big flashback chapter—hope that was clear, that the scenes with Sai were all flashbacks. He wasn't in here in story-time. By the way, we're almost in the rising action part of the central conflict, so if there's anything specific you guys would like to see, let me know now while there's still time to include it.

As usual, please review and let me know what you guys think! Especially about the flashbacks, because I have a lot planned for the next few chapters. Hope they aren't a total bore. And I'm trying to bring Riku and Keiya closer, obviously. Their part in this chapter was ridiculously cliché, but I included it anyway. I believe this was the longest chapter yet, if only by a few sentences. They've been long lately. Hope that's not a problem, either.

Thank you for reading and please review!