The Dumbing Down of Love.

rikku & roxas

FOR MAUVE RUNE.

The sky is gray, huge, gleaming water drops cascading from the stormy clouds, splotching along the pavement in a hypnotizing rhythm; she takes refuge beneath the heavy, drooping head of a yellow daisy. Though the darkness is close and damp, and the thunder rumbles quite loudly, she is too busy trying to squint up through sheets of pattering rain at the most grouchy-faced, messy-haired blond boy with brilliant blue eyes, wide-eyed in wonder. "Don't get too close," she recalls Paine rebuking warningly, but Rikku never listens.

Everything just slips from her mind like water and now, oh now she just wants to know everything about him.

When the downpour finally lets up, little strips of bright sunshine break through the refuge of clouds and wash the black and white checkered vans with a wan yellow glow. Rikku steps towards the mysterious boy with watery baby blues cautiously. Slowly, she inhales, sharp air tickling her pearly teeth, and then candied lips arch upwards into a bright grin against her tanned skin. The shafted, golden sunbeams catch the gleam of his numerous chain linked belts on his black attire. He turns, and suddenly the storm in his azure gaze dissipates, lit up with a newfound radiance.

"Hey," he greets amiably, a shy grin tugging at his lips, and she holds her breath, hears her heart pump furiously, and thinks he's the most incredibly stunning boy she's ever seen, because his whole face suddenly has abruptly changed as if a light switch has been flipped on inside him; the smile made you forget the things you were afraid of, like gooey, warm chocolate chip cookies with a tall glass of cold milk, or a slice of scrumptious pecan pie topped by whipped cream. And like chocolate chip cookies and pecan pie, it made you want more.

She is suddenly palpably shy — awkward like a sputtering baby bird or a stork that is still trying to walk on its ungainly feet in rising aqua water.

He is so big. And she is so small!

He is so beautiful. And she is so plain!

Surely, he will think she is frightening, ugly and just plain awful with her china doll body and rainbow drop wings?

But then, it doesn't even matter anymore, because he isn't talking to her, but to a gorgeous strawberry-tressed girl who has just come skipping up the slick sidewalk, her movements like velvet and cream.

"You came," the girl says, a broad, radiant smile curving her rose-blossom mouth. She has round, shimmering eyes the shade of dark blue as to be dreaming violet that heaven and stars and night skies are cut from. A pink valentine dress adorns her lithe, statuesque frame, highlighting her budding curves. She looks like a princess, a real princess, the kind from story books who are the embodiment of whimsy and splendor, of pure hearts, sunshine, and rainbows.

Maybe she is.

When they walk off together, laughing gaily, and chattering, it is easy to see why they're together. Connected, but not only palms and fingertips; she doesn't have the words for it.

Until that point, she admittedly had been satisfied living in the mesmerizing swirl of colors and luminance that is the blooming garden of premium roses and sweet posies she calls home. And yet, after seeing such a beautiful pair once inclement weather has passed, it does not inspire a toothy grin or merry giggle to fall away from her bubble gum lips.

Instead, the blonde-haired fairy suddenly wishes she were as tall as the humans were; was a human. If she were bigger, with spindly long, milky legs that went on and on, and wore her pale hair smooth and long so that it touched the small of her back, this boy would love her, she thought. He would give his watermelon heart to her on a silver platter and she'd keep it so close it would get absorbed into the tiny pores of her skin, hers to keep forever and ever.

When Paine scowls and calls out to Rikku, the petite fairy's honeyed braids swoosh as she turns her head in her fellow fairy's direction.

"Rikku," the scarlet eyed fairy hisses. "What did I tell you!?" In a shower of sparkles, she grabs her by the arm and regards her with an exasperated look that minutely softens, like golden butter left out in the sun. Her friend cares for her deeply even if she doesn't like to show it; so it doesn't make sense she feels as empty as she does.

"I found the treasure!" Yuna announces, before gentle concern glosses over her turquoise and emerald orbs. "Rikku . . . are you crying?"

She hasn't noticed until now — the pinpricks of moisture pooling in her beryl irises. Now they are rolling down her hot cheeks, leaving glistening trails in their descent; taste salty sweet on her pink tongue.

Maybe if she is lucky, her pearl drop tears will magically transform her into a real girl.

fin.

··· ►The first Roxas/fairy!Rikku I have ever written. Written for the uber sweet and fantastic Muave Rune because: 1) she was the first to ever request me to outright to write her something and 2) she's awesome like that. I'm sorry it wasn't that great, darling! Or happy. Butbutbut~! I'm working on another one as we speak which is looking slightly more .. cheery? We'll see, anyways -- VIVA LA ROXIKKU! & Roxiri hee; right Manda-Panda?

Hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing! All reviews would be adored and rewarded with rice krispie treats.

And nope, I don't own anything -- yet. ;33