Away from the Sun

I didn't know what to say to him, or even how to start. I couldn't tell him about Emmy, he would think me a monster for the things I did.

"So? Where the hell where you? I came to check on you and you weren't the-"

"I.. I just felt like exploring!" I blurted out, not looking him in the eye. It was obvious I was lying to him, and I knew he caught it. I could lie perfectly fine to almost anyone, but there was something about Riku that wouldn't let me lie with a straight face.

"...Exploring?" He asked, humor in his voice. "And where were you exploring?"

"Oh.. well I-"

"And how did you get that scratch on your cheek?" He asked, gesturing towards my cheek. I raised my hand to feel it, and winced a bit as I touched a tender area. I had a large scratch on my cheek, which was probably cut by one of Emmy's stray feather-bullets.

Great.. Cat's outta the bag now..

"I...I uhm.." I sighed, and looked down.

"Well?" he asked. He had a lot of anger in his voice, which made me almost afraid to speak.

"I.. I needed to get something.. That day at Olympus Coliseum.. Remember when we helped out Emmy and Sora?"

Riku nodded. "Yea, with Cerberus... but that was awhile ago, what does that have to do with now?"

"Well.." I started. "Hades ended up seeing everything, and threatened to tell Maleficent and rat us out. The only way that he was going to keep quiet is if I got this gem for him.."

"A gem?" Riku asked, confused. "Why would Hades need a gem?"

I shrugged. "I'm not to sure.. but I knew that I had to get it, or Maleficent would be furious with us! But- the only problem was- the Temple that held the gem could only be entered by someone with a "pure heart"." I looked up to Riku now, and continued. "So I had to find someone with a pure heart.. and the only person I knew was Emm-"

"Now wait.." Riku said, cutting me off from telling the rest. "Let me guess... You tricked her into getting your gem, right? But she didn't fall for it, and kicked your a-"

"N-no.." I said. "Other way around..."

Riku gave a small 'hmmph', and crossed his arms. "..Why didn't you just come to me for help? You shouldn't gone alone, not after that fall you had in Monstro! You could have gotten hurt a lot worse then you did!" I winced a bit.. he was angry with me, and I could tell.

"I was going to, bu-" Memories filled my mind of what I had seen in the magical ball Maleficent gave me. Riku, pouring out his affection over Kairi, not even caring that I was hurting.

My mood changed, and I glared at him. "What do you care?!" I spat, making Riku wear a confused look and take a step back. "I'm surprised your even here! You don't care at all what happens to me!"

"Li-"

I cut him off. "You were too caught up in that Kairi girl to even notice I was gone, let alone CARE that I was! You probably wouldn't have even noticed I was alive if you didn't see me walking down this dammed hallway!" I extended my arms out, gesturing to the hallway that we were in.
"Lillith, Stop this! Enou-"

"No!" I snapped back. "I'm not stopping! Not this time! It's obvious that you care for her, and it is completely stupid of me to think that I could even compare to her!" I closed my eyes, trying to keep back the tears that tried to force them selves out. "You said you would do anything for her! And all I am doing is getting in that way of that! You don't care for me, Riku, I know you don't!"

"And how would you know that?!" Riku argued back, sticking up for himself.

I looked at him now, in the eyes, tears running down my cheeks. "Because it's true, dammit! It is! You were mad at me after I yelled at you in Monstro, so you went to the person you care most about, and that's her!" I closed my eyes again, and started to wipe my eyes. I felt completely stupid for letting my emotions out in such a way, and I felt like a baby for crying.

But it was true. I knew it was. I wasn't meant to be here, Riku was never meant to fall for someone like me. So why should he care for my well being? All that's going on here is me with a childish crush, as usual, and the man that I love is head over heals for someone else. It's the story of love, and man does it hurt. Which is why they call it falling in love. It isn't meant to feel good.

I felt two hands grasp my shoulders, and I looked up to Riku. "Lillith, please calm down!" He said, but I jerked away.

"No.." I said, my voice quiet now. "I....I-im sorry... I'm sorry I brought this up.. i-its ok if you don't care, I don't mind.. "

"Lillith.."

"Please..." My gaze was looking down.. I couldn't bring my self to look at him. "I'm sorry for making a big deal out of this.. it's ok that you don't care.. it's o-"

It happened in a split second, and I had to wait a few more seconds until I realized what had happened. Riku had pulled me close to him, and grabbed my chin. A moment later, I felt as his lips met mine. My heart speed up, my lungs made me gasp, and my cheeks must have created a new shade of maroon. I'm not sure if it was butterflies in my stomach or what, but my body went crazy as our lips met. As did my mind... was he actually kissing me?..

Time seemed to, literally, stand still. I have read it thousands of times in stories, but I never understood the true meaning of it. Our lips might have only been together for a few seconds, but it felt to me like forever. Not that I was complaining about it, either.

Arms wrapped around my waist, and held me close. My lips felt cold as Riku parted from me, and he rested his forehead on mine. I was at a lost for words, but that was probably a good thing. I would have said something to mess it all up, anyway.

"..Please don't be sad.." he said, not moving from his place in front of me. "I'm sorry I wasn't there in time to catch you..." His embrace got tighter around me, and my blush grew darker again. I figured he was talking about when I fell inside Monstro..

"I do care, Lillith.. I care more for you then anything here.." his thumb came up to caress my cheek, and I finally looked into his eyes. It shocked me to see that.. even he was blushing too.

I didn't want to ruin the moment, but I had to ask.. "B-.. But... Kairi-"

Riku gave a small laugh. "Kairi is one of my best friends.. I grew up with her, just Sora, her, and me. Of course I'm going to be worried about her well being.."

"Oh.." I said, feeling completely stupid now for crying. I began to look down again, but Riku's hand tilted my chin back up.

"Don't worry about it.. just.. don't ever cry like that again.." his thumb wiped off a tear that was sitting at the corner of my mind. "You scared me.. "

I bit my lips as his fingers skimmed my skin. The words he were telling me felt like a dream, and I didn't know if I should be believing them. Ever since I got here, I've been under the impression that Riku hated the very sight of me.. and now he just kissed me and told me that he cares for me? My thoughts were going off track, and I'm sure Riku noticed it, because he laughed at my confused impression.

He lowered his hand from my face, but still didn't let go of my waist. "Your cute, you know, when you look so confused.."

I blushed terribly, and looked at the wall. Now he's calling me cute! Let alone the word cute was even in Riku's vocabulary, he was saying it to me!

A laugh came from him again, and he let go of my waist, stepping back from me. I looked up to him, happy to see that I wasn't the only one here blushing.

We didn't say much after we broke apart.. it was silent for awhile..

Cheers.. to another awkward moment..

"Listen.. Riku.." I started. I really wanted to apologize for my outburst. "I rea-"

"Really need to be getting to your room." The voice came from behind me, and started both Riku and me. I turned around to see Maleficent slowly walking out of the shadows.

D..Did she see all of that?! The thought lingered in my mind, and made my stomach queasy to think about it.

Her hand rested on my shoulder, and made chills run up and down my spine. "It is awfully late, my dear. You should be getting some rest for tomorrow."

I looked up to her dark figure. "Tomor-"

"Ah, Riku." She said, cutting me off, and walking to Riku as if she didn't seem him before. Once she got to him, she grabbed his shoulder, and started to lead him off. "We have some work to attend to."

Riku looked to her, then to me with a 'Sorry' look. It seemed as if he was as confused as I was with the "work he needed to attend to", but it wasn't a good idea to upset Maleficent.

So I watched them walk off, confused for way to many reasons to even think about being confused about! Hell, even that was confusing enough..

I sighed after awhile, and made my way back to my room, the feeling of Riku still on my lips. I couldn't believe what had happened before. Sitting on my bed, I felt my lips with my fingers, and my imagination went wild with more childish dreams and fascinations.

All in all, I didn't know if this was reality or a dream.

It felt so real...

But as my mind was off in dream land, something sudden popped into my head.

Riku talked about what happened at Monstro.. that he was sorry he didn't catch me. I had passed out from the fall, so I wasn't even sure what had happened..

I snapped myself out of dream land, and reached for my trusty crystal ball off of the table beside me. Sitting criss-cross on my bed, and held the ball in my lap. I rubbed the sides of it, thinking about what I wanted to see. If it could see into the past, I didn't know. But it's always fun to find out..

"Show me.. when I fell.." I said, plain and flat. I didn't think that the ball would recognize such a simple request, but soon it started to cloud up, and figures started to appear inside it..

I saw the Parasite Cage inside the ball, and watched as he spit me and Pinocchio down the hole. It made me slightly nauseous to see my own self falling.

As soon as Riku saw me fall, I watched as he hurriedly jumped after me. After a few seconds, Emmy and the others followed.

The ball switched back to my body, and I winced a bit as I saw my body hit the floor. It didn't feel as bad as it looked, and believe me, it looked bad. Riku got to me as quickly as he could, and picked me up. I blushed a bit seeing my body in his arms.

"Riku, Wait!" Sora called, but Riku didn't stop. He opened a portal behind him, not even caring about Pinocchio any more.

"Riku!!" I heard Emmy call, and this time Riku stopped to look at her. "Please.." she said, "Make sure she's ok.."

He looked down at me, but didn't answer her. He just walked into the portal, leaving Sora and the others to deal with the rest of Monstro.

His portal ended up leading straight to my room, and he carefully set me in my bed. A few heartless surrounded me, and it actually seemed as if they were also worried about my well being.

Another portal appeared near Riku, and Maleficent stepped out. Riku looked at her, confused at her sudden appearance. She gestured as if she needed his help, and pointed to the portal she came through.

Riku looked back to me, as if he didn't want to leave. I watched as he bent down to me, and brushed hair from my face. He then whispered some things to the small shadow heartless, and left the Maleficent.

The heartless stayed with me after Riku had left, as if he asked for them to watch over me. They didn't do any harm to my room, like they normally did. Instead they actually cuddled to my frame, and looked as if they were sleeping.

My crystal ball when cloudy after that, signaling that it showed me all it could.

I sighed, and sat it next to me. So.. he did care? All that time.. he never wanted to leave my side.. I felt horrible for the way I had treated him earlier now.. Accusing him for not caring, when it's all he's ever done..

How stupid of me..! How could he ever forgive me for such an act!

I rubbed my head, feeling the headaches coming on. After a night like tonight, the last thing I needed was stress..

My head hit my pillow, and I cuddled under the warm blankets of my bed. I kept the lamp on the other side of my room on.. I didn't like it all to dark when I slept.

Even though Riku said he cared about me, bad thoughts wouldn't help but leave my head. But there was one sentence, one feeling, that kept repeating over and over in my head..

He deserves so much better then me..