Namine's expression fell when his did, and she dropped her gaze to her hands. Even if she hadn't meant for her question to hurt him, it had. If she were a normal girl, she might have immediately stammered an apology, insisted that she hadn't meant to ask him that at all, because it was rude and none of her business. If he said he was choosing her now, that should be enough, right?
She wasn't a normal girl, though. Heart or no, normal was something that had never applied to her, and while she was sorry for the hurt she caused, it was something that needed to be brought up. It wasn't fair to either of them, or Kairi, to not recognize that Riku felt something for his best friend. When he spoke, she was still trying to find the right words to express that.
Explanations seemed to be unnecessary, though. Not that Riku made any direct comment, but the lack of comment held some meaning, too. Though her posture didn't change as she listened, she felt a tension she hadn't even noticed easing.
A part of her wanted to protest his decision to stop pursuing Kairi. He'd made his mistakes, yes, but didn't Kairi at least deserve to know that both her best friends loved her, and make her choice knowing that? Then again, trying to sway him that way might make him think she didn't return his feelings. That wasn't fair to either of them, considering that, having never considered the possibility that he could care for her this way, and unused to thinking in terms of having a heart to feel with, she'd never explored her feelings for him beyond friendship. Now, though, that potential was being questioned, and he deserved an honest answer.
She found herself tracing the lines in his picture again as she thought. Not being used to having a heart meant she had even less practice than Riku in following it, but she could try. "I never thought I was a replacement; just a shadow, like all Nobodies. I didn't even think I could have a heart until Sora told us that. You matter a lot to me, too, though...I think, maybe in the same way I do to you, I'm just not sure how that's supposed to feel." She managed a small, sad smile. "So you have a choice again. Someone who cares about you a lot, but is still getting used to the idea she can feel that way, and...won't be there when you go home. Or someone who will be there, and knows her own heart a little better."
It took some effort, but she willed herself to look up at him as she spoke. Much as she didn't like the idea of seeing him hurt any more by what she said, it would be wrong to look away.
Poor guy. XD Again, sorry for the delay, and long tag is long.
She wasn't a normal girl, though. Heart or no, normal was something that had never applied to her, and while she was sorry for the hurt she caused, it was something that needed to be brought up. It wasn't fair to either of them, or Kairi, to not recognize that Riku felt something for his best friend. When he spoke, she was still trying to find the right words to express that.
Explanations seemed to be unnecessary, though. Not that Riku made any direct comment, but the lack of comment held some meaning, too. Though her posture didn't change as she listened, she felt a tension she hadn't even noticed easing.
A part of her wanted to protest his decision to stop pursuing Kairi. He'd made his mistakes, yes, but didn't Kairi at least deserve to know that both her best friends loved her, and make her choice knowing that? Then again, trying to sway him that way might make him think she didn't return his feelings. That wasn't fair to either of them, considering that, having never considered the possibility that he could care for her this way, and unused to thinking in terms of having a heart to feel with, she'd never explored her feelings for him beyond friendship. Now, though, that potential was being questioned, and he deserved an honest answer.
She found herself tracing the lines in his picture again as she thought. Not being used to having a heart meant she had even less practice than Riku in following it, but she could try. "I never thought I was a replacement; just a shadow, like all Nobodies. I didn't even think I could have a heart until Sora told us that. You matter a lot to me, too, though...I think, maybe in the same way I do to you, I'm just not sure how that's supposed to feel." She managed a small, sad smile. "So you have a choice again. Someone who cares about you a lot, but is still getting used to the idea she can feel that way, and...won't be there when you go home. Or someone who will be there, and knows her own heart a little better."
It took some effort, but she willed herself to look up at him as she spoke. Much as she didn't like the idea of seeing him hurt any more by what she said, it would be wrong to look away.