Kalli's Journal

Staff Information!
Hit Banners & Awards!

Contact Info

Nails

"You're Leon?"

Leon turned, glancing over from the repairs he was making to his own sagging shutters to the silver-haired young man staring him down. Or attempting to stare him down, at least. Leon wasn't really having any of it, though. He was fairly sure he knew exactly who he was looking at.

"Riku?"

The surprised expression he received in return meant he was dead on.

"Yeah... How did you...?"

Leon hammered one final nail into place before replying. "Sora mentioned you. Many times."

Riku chuckled. "I didn't even consider that, but I probably should have."

"He's your biggest fan," Leon noted before picking up a couple of spare nails from where they were attempting to roll off the window sill.

"And yours," Riku added. "Which is... why I'm here. Apparently, you were responsible for his sudden ability to swing a weapon and actually hit something with it."

"Most of that was a sudden need for results," Leon replied. Sure, he'd given Sora a few pointers and knocked him around a bit, but Riku was definitely overestimating his importance.

Not that he hadn't done similar for for a very long time.

The way Riku was watching him was curious...

"How'd you get here, anyway?" Leon questioned.

"Secret," Riku replied, quickly chuckling. "I want to fight you anyway, you know."

Leon nodded, giving Riku a little smile. A workout would be good after the long stretch of peace he'd been otherwise enjoying. He had some rust to knock out, he was sure.

"Fine," Leon said. He looked Riku over once, then reached to grab his tools. "Let me put this stuff away and get my gunblade."

Leon was not expecting the workout he received, though. By the the time they'd finished, without a clear victor, Leon's muscles were screaming at him.

He wasn't going to complain.

After finding out that Riku hadn't actually done anything about accommodations, Leon had dragged him inside and shown him the sofa. It wasn't much, but it was better than letting Riku fend for himself. Riku was a pretty good guy, after all, and quite skilled with insults while sparring.

Young, too, but strong.

Leon knew quite well what it was like to learn things the hard way. He was sure Riku had been following along in his footsteps without ever knowing...

After a week, Leon still didn't mind Riku's presence - he just hoped no one was missing Riku anywhere else. Actually, he was enjoying having someone new around; someone who challenged him, physically and mentally.

"Riku?" Leon didn't have any clue how to ask, though - direct was usually best, but... "Not that I mind you being here, but..."

"Mmm?" Riku had borrowed a few old books from Aerith and was trying to decipher them.

"How long were you planning on staying?"

Riku looked up, aqua eyes shining in the dim light of Leon's kitchen.

"Til I'm done, I guess," Riku replied.

"I was thinking you might be getting sick of my sofa." Leon realized once he'd gotten the words out that he'd just insinuated something that he'd thought about but not intended to voice.

"It's fine," Riku replied. "I want to stay with you."

And then it was Leon's turn to guess Riku's meaning.

A week later, Leon was between Riku and the sofa, surprised by how well Riku kissed and how he was fairly sure they very much had been meaning all of their second meanings, too.

Whatever Riku was there to do, Leon certainly wouldn't mind if it took awhile.