| Riku | Until The Fat Lady Sings | One-Shot |

"Riku! Riku! Riku!"

A tall, silver-haired teenager froze in his tracks, one of his jade-colored eyes visibly twitching with discomfort. He sure picked the wrong day to be named Riku.

Reluctantly, he turned around - just in time to see his loud, insanely-optimistic best friend panting beside him. With the back of his hand, he brushed his chestnut-brown colored bangs off his closed, cobalt-blue eyes and flashed a wide, friendly smile.

The warm greeting didn't falter the annoyed look Riku threw him. He sucked in a breath, and slowly exhaled - remembering his breathing exercise from therapy last week. "What do you want, Sora?"

Oblivious to the irritated glare his best friend show him, Sora opened his eyes, and continued grinning his ever-so optimistic, cheerful smile excitedly. "Did you see it?"

"See what?" Riku asked quickly, not in the mood to play any guessing games.

"That," the blue-eyed boy pointed at a nearby, highly crafted poster. "Are you going?"

Riku only had to glance at the indicated advertising to know it had something to do with the annual end-of-summer fair. He stared down at him with a serious expression on his face and quickly answered, "No."

"No?!" Sora repeated in disbelief, blinking in confusion.

"I'm not going," Riku confirmed, whipping around to hopefully end the conversation without any further questions.

Unfortunately, Sora didn't seem to get the hint. He trailed after Riku, his bright eyes and voice filled with protest. "Why not? Everyone's going. Me, Kairi, Namine, Roxas, Haru--"

"Sora," Riku interrupted, stopping so abruptly that Sora ran into him, "you know that I hate those kind of things. Long lines, crowded streets, expensive junk food, useless prizes, cheap rides, boring activities..."

By that point, he trailed off on with his mental list when he finally realized that his one-man audience disappeared on him. Riku's jaw fell open, appalled at the outline of dashes that showed where Sora once was. It didn't take long for Riku to glared his sea green eyes at Sora's back, who was ducking discreetly by a wall of a building - at least, trying to.

"Mama, what's that boy doing?" a young girl asked innocently, pointing at the silly man crouching by the wall - drawing more attention to him.

"Don't mind him, dear," the mother assured the small girl, pulling her daughter away by the hand, "just keep walking."

Among the other stares and whispers, an oncoming teenage couple walked nearby, unaware of the situation that attracted the small crowd. They stopped under a streetlight, looking like they were in a bit of an argument.

"Just trust me."

Ironic how those exact three words of confident assurance sent a wave of doubt through her. She averted her chocolate-colored eyes away from his sapphire-colored eyes, a light blush darting across his cheeks. A tiny frown lingered on the corner of her mouth. "I don't know, Roxas."

"You'll love it, Haruna," he told her with a casual laugh. Then, more sincerely, added, "Besides, it won't be the same without you."

The way he said those words altered the downward curve on her lips. It was as clear as daylight how the excitement shined on his face. The way his eyes lit up whenever he brought up the event, the enthusiastic edge in his voice, the smile on his face as he listed all his plans throughout the day. To make him happy was a more than enough reason for her to agree.

She released an exasperated sigh, a smile still touching her face. "Okay, fine," she mumbled reluctantly, then clearly added, "but I'm only doing this because I love you."

Roxas laughed - the total opposite reaction of what she hoped for, yet what sounded like music to her ears. He cupped her face in his big hands, flashing that irresistible smile of his that always made her heart pound hard against her chest.

"You'll have fun," he promised, kissing away the tiny frown on the corner of her mouth that followed afterward. His lips closed to a soft grin, gazing at her eyes tenderly as he gently traced the light blush on her cheek with his thumb. "Trust me."

With his hands still cupping her face, he slowly brought her mouth to his. She held onto his arm for support, standing on the tip of her toes. She closed her eyes as he leaned towards her.

"Surprise!" he shouted loudly, jabbing his fingers against the girl's side as she screamed - banging her head against Roxas' jaw.

"Sora!" Haruna exclaimed, placing a hand against her injured forehead. At the same time, Roxas glared at his other half and growled, "Sora..."

Ignoring Roxas, he walked straight towards the petite girl - pulling her hand away to kiss her forehead. "Hello," he murmured against her lips, his hand placed against the back of her neck.

She sighed a bit when he pulled away, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Don't scare me like that," she pouted, "you know I'm ticklish there!"

Sora flashed a smirk, his dark blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "I know."

Out of nowhere, Roxas put his arm protectively around Haruna - looking very pissed at his look-alike. "I'll get you for that, Sora," he threatened, "you can count on it."

"You're just jealous," Sora laughed, his voice challenging.

The two began to argue, and Haruna's dark brown eyes wandered towards the direction the other teen silently stood. He caught her eye as she flashed him a bright smile and waved. "Hi Riku!"

Riku nodded, the corner of his lips curving upward. Since the night of the falling stars, he and Haruna were able to rekindle their old friendship and he was able to see why both Sora and Roxas loved what seemed to be an ordinary girl so dearly.

Haruna is a unique girl - despite her ordinary appearance. It was kind of those 'look underneath the surface' things he was beginning to understand.

He spent countless, sleepless nights thinking about that question.

Although Sora is his best friend, who's probably willing to search the worlds for him, Riku had to admit the kid was like a walking, breathing disaster. Sure, Sora was kind-hearted, fun to be around, and - as Kairi always say - adorable beyond belief, Sora had a lot of flaws that not a lot of people know about.

Such as his ability to walk across a flat surface and still being able to find something to trip over. His unhealthy eating habits. The sleep-talking, snoring, and rolling off the bed in the middle of the night. And, of course, his lack of being able to explain things.

Roxas, on the other hand, was probably just as bad as Sora - maybe worse. Not only is the kid the most unluckiest guy in the world, but Riku had seen him run into a number of poles and streetlights, getting chased by tiny dogs, almost forgetting to put on pants one morning, and walk into the girls' bathroom a few times. To make it worse, stuff like that usually happened to Roxas practically every day.

What Haruna really needed was a man, not an idiot. Whether she knew it or not, she had a certain charm about her that attracted guys - like a light in darkness. Yet, she never seemed interested in anyone else but them.

He needed to see what was in her eyes, but the only way he could do that was if she went out with him.

"Are you coming to the festival thing tomorrow?"

Riku snapped out of his thoughts, the question catching him off guard. Haruna stood in front of him with a friendly smile, somehow managing to slip away from the eyes of Sora and Roxas.

Did that mean that she was asking him out on a date? Was she choosing him, the cool and omnipotent Riku, over the two other clumsy losers in their little Triangle of Disaster?

"Sure," he said his words carefully, "what time do you want me to pick you up?"

She frowned a bit, tilting her head to the side. "Ano... actually, we all decided to meet at the entrance."

He blinked at her - twice. "...We all?"

She scratched the back of her head, feeling confused. "Yeah, didn't Sora tell you? Me, him, Kairi, Namine, Roxas? I was sure he asked. I mean, he was really excited..."

He tuned her out by that point, already calculating a plan in his head. This was his perfect opportunity to see the world through her eyes. All he needed was the make sure him and Haruna were alone - and make sure that Sora and Roxas weren't in the way. Yes, that was perfect.

"Ano... Riku?" she sweat dropped, "why are you nodding your head?"

The nodding of his head ceased abruptly when he realized her drabble ended some time while he was thinking up different scenarios to get rid of Sora and Roxas - some that were a bit too violent and out-there for them to work. His brow twitched, feeling self conscious. "Er, just thinking..."

"Haru-chan, let's grab some sea-salt ice cream," Roxas shouted, gesturing her to follow him. Sora made a face at the name of the salty sweet treat, his poor taste buds still not used to the flavor.

"Okay!" she agreed excitedly as Riku let out a small sigh of relief. She breifly turned to Riku and smiled. "See you tomorrow."

He nodded again, watching as she ran between the two - grabbing each of their hands. The three of them exchanged smiles, their happiness almost making him want to smile as well. He scowled a bit, wrinkling his nose, and walking towards the direction he was previously heading for.

He had to admit, he was looking forward to tomorrow.

"This is it!" Kairi exclaimed, her arm looped around Namine's arm as she pointed at the attraction ahead. You found it hard to swallow as you stared at it, unconsciously clinging onto Roxas' arm.

It was a haunted house. At first glance, you'd think that it was just a broken, old house - if it wasn't for the long lines of people entering it and the "Haunted House" sign above it written in bloody red paint. The entrance was decorated with cobwebs, broken windows, fog coming out of the entrance, and a hauntingly deep laughter.

The Haunted House Attraction

Click [ here ] if you can't see it.

As you stood in line, you inwardly shivered - feeling your heart palpitating within every step closer. The disturbing laughter grew louder, the chill from the steam of ice gave you goose bumps, and you nervously wrapped your arms around Roxas' waist like a frightened child. As if it wasn't bad enough that Riku and Sora made you watch that horror movie at Riku's house, but now you actually had to go inside what was currently your greatest fear of the moment.

You looked at Kairi as if she was the source of all evil as she linked her arm around a somewhat nervous Namine again and dragged her inside - laughing at the face of danger.

"Poor Namine," Roxas chuckled, his warm hand continuously rubbing your arm. He looked at you from the corner of his eye, smiling. At any second, the attendance - dressed up at a dead butler - would let you two in, and you were starting to shake. You were just as nervous as Namine - if not, more.

As a reaction, you flinched when he suddenly pulled you closer than you already were - letting you lean against his chest. "Don't be scared," he mused - his tone sounded as if he was trying not to laugh, "I'll be with you the whole way."

"I'm not scared..." you mumbled against his shirt, mostly to yourself.

"Sure..." he said in a way that made it obvious he didn't believe you.

"I'm not..." you insisted as he walked inside, pulling you with him.

Behind you, Sora laughed. "Haru-chan, I'm right behind you!"

"I don't know why she's so scared..." Riku sighed as he and Sora entered the house shortly after. Mechanical busts turned their heads and their eyes followed the person whenever they sensed someone coming in. The irritating sound of suspenseful music filled the air, along with creaking and rocking. Holograms of ghosts and bats flew around aimlessly - nearly smashing against the walls. And worst of all...

"Boo!"

"Kyaaah!!" your voice squealed nearby. Out of instinct, Sora ran ahead - causing eyes in picture frames and busts to turn and stare after him. Riku rolled his eyes, following after in a slightly slower pace.

Once they reached you and Roxas, they saw you standing in the middle of the path - your wide, brown eyes filled with horror.

Sora panted, coming to the rescue, "What is it?"

With a shaky finger, you pointed at a gravestone. All three of them stared at it for a moment. A couple seconds later, a robotic, green-glowing skull with red eyes popped up in front of it. In a monotonous voice, it said, "Boo!"

You screamed again as all three of them fell over - groaning.

Riku leaned back against his elbows, his eye twitching. That had to be the lamest pop-up trick in the world, and out of all the creepy-looking stuff in the whole attraction, that one little skeleton had to be the thing that freaked you out the most.

When the skeleton popped up again, you were about to make a mad dash to the exit - almost trampling over Riku in your attempt to escape. Sora, however, caught you in his arms before you could move a step closer.

"C'mon, Haru-chan," he said as you tried to struggle out of his grasp, "let's see the rest of the house."

"No!" you shouted, slamming your fists against his shoulder. He didn't seem to notice as he half-carried you further in.

Riku sighed heavily, picking himself off the ground and brushing the dirt off his clothes. With his hands in his pockets, he trailed behind you three.

Sora seemed to enjoy the whole attraction, laughing at almost everything - even the bloody face in a broken mirror. You, on the other hand, was the complete opposite - screaming so much, Riku was surprised you didn't loose your voice yet. Roxas was grew a bit paler the further the four you went - but if he was scared, he was really good at acting as if he wasn't. And Riku didn't seem phased at all with the unpleasant surprises.

In one of the rooms, you and the boys met up with Kairi and Namine. Kairi, like Sora, seemed to be having a very pleasant time in the haunted house. Namine, however, pleaded for them to leave. You more than willingly agreed with her to go.

The room that you guys were in was the master bedroom. The bed looked dusty, the sheets were ripped and blood stained. There was warnings on the walls that warned people to beware of something - written in what looked like blood. Lights flickered in the dim room.

You had your arms wrapped around you, shivering as you stood in the center of the room while the others scattered around. Panic filled your face when you heard the squeaky heaving of a rocking-chair and shook when a chilly breeze touched your skin.

"Haruna--"

A gasp escaped your lips as you quickly swung yourself around - ready to karate-chop whoever's head off. It was Riku, who blinked at you with an odd expression on his face that wondered whether he should worry about you or not.

"What?!" you asked breathlessly, glaring at him a bit.

He tilted his head, his jade eyes curious. "I'm wondering why you're freaking out."

"What do you mean?" you asked with a sad, strained, pathetic laugh.

"I mean," his eyes looked above your head, "every time we go into a room, you look like you want to run away."

"Ano... It's nothing really... I mean, I'm not scared! I just... remembered that... I need to... feed my cat?" you blinked, realizing the excuse didn't make sense. You didn't even have a cat - or any pets for that matter. Seeing the strange look Riku was giving you, you bowed your head and admitted, "I have this insanely huge phobia of ghosts and stuff."

"You mean, like the one behind you?" he asked, pointing at the thing behind your head. You whipped around and screamed when you saw a lady with a deformed face in a white, ripped gown. Thus, making you jolt to the emergency exit on the verge of tears - leaving a cloud of dust behind you.

The others turned their attention to Riku, and the hologram of the ghost who was ooh-ing in a shaky, not so scary voice - her hands outstretched and her fingers wiggling.

"What happened?" Kairi asked as the hologram vanished, only to reappear in the next five or so minutes.

Riku shrugged. "I'll go see if she's all right," he offered, muttering how troublesome you were.

You were half-way across the park when you suddenly realized something. Sora, Roxas, and the rest of the people in your group were no where to be found!

Your mind was mentally screaming as you wove in and out of the crowd, desperately searching for your friends somewhere in the busy streets. The haunting images of what took place at the haunted house attraction still spooked your mind - making you more edgy than usual. Every little brush or bump made you paranoid.

"Haruna!"

"Eeek!"

Tightly shutting your eyes, you punched your fist straight into something hard, yet soft. Of course, since in this story, you aren't some heroic martial arts master who wields a key-shaped weapon, the contact that your fist collided with hurt you... a lot.

"Itta!" you gasped, shaking your hand and cradling it. Your chocolate brown eyes gazed up to meet jade green ones. Riku raised an eyebrow at you, having no effect with your offensive attack. Because in this story, he's still works out by whacking his best friend with a wooden sword.

"I've been looking for you," he said casually, brushing off the spot on his shirt where you hit him.

"I'm glad you found me," you admitted, then turned your gaze away from him for a moment. "Is Sora or Roxas with you?"

"Nope. Just me," he told you, and a sudden realization hit him once those words came out of his mouth. He... alone... with you. It was the perfect opportunity to get the answers he needed!

"Oh..." you pouted, somewhat disappointed. Still, you were with Riku - the guy who's been nothing but a friend to you for years. Strong, smart, and awesomely cool Riku could surely lead you back to the arms of either Sora and Roxas.

Riku couldn't miss the disappointed look on your face and ran his fingers through his silver hair - silently sighing. There had to be a way for him to get Sora and Roxas off your mind if his plan was ever going to work out.

"Good job! You won!"

His green eyes darted towards a girl around their age, clapping her hands excitedly. The girl and her boyfriend were standing by a game booth as the man in charge of it handed the guy a huge stuffed animal.

He handed it to her and smiled. "Here. This is for you."

"Yay!" she cheered, giving him a hug. Then, despite the people around them, kissed him to show her appreciation.

Click [ here ] if you can't see it.

Just then, a brilliant idea popped in his head - a light bulb shined brightly above his head. He went to the closest empty booth and slammed some munny for a game on the counter. "Three rings, please!"

You followed him, your hands clasped behind your back. Riku didn't seem to notice you as he picked up a colored ring and shut one eye - trying to aim for pole with a red band - representing the grand prize. You leaned towards him, breathing on the shell of his ear as you asked, "What 'cha doin'?"

"Agh!" he jumped, almost throwing the first ring in the mouth of the man in charge of the game. Riku glared at you with agitation, clenching his fist. "Don't scare me like that!"

You smiled, amused. "I scared you?"

"No."

"But you just said--"

"Shh!" he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, getting ready to throw another one. Just then, a couple of kids came running after each other. Seconds before Riku was about to toss the second ring, a boy accidentally bumped into him - throwing Riku off guard and making the ring fly upward - killing a random bird that flew in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Oops. Sorry mister," the boy said before running off with his friends.

You almost laughed, smiling at Riku and his last ring. "Can I try?"

"No."

"Please?" your smile widened, folding your hands together and bringing the side of your index fingers to your lips, "I'm really good at these kinds of games."

"I said no!" he shouted, then huffed - glaring at the pole with sheer determination. He quickly glanced left to right, then left again. There were no more distractions within range. He had to win this.

In slow motion, he tossed the last ring - sweat pouring from his face as he watched the pole catch the ring. It swirled down and his smile widened. But seconds later, it started swinging too fast and soon came back upward - landing on nothing.

"Ooh, close," the game manager winced, his voice lacking any feeling, "too bad."

He was as frozen statue, staring at the ring with dotted eyes.

"Ano... Riku?"

"What is it, Haruna?" he asked slowly, seething through clenched teeth.

You pointed at the ring that twirled off the pole. "I think you lost."

"I didn't lose!" he yelled, denying that he'd ever lose to something so stupid. "This game just cheats! No one ever wins these things anyway."

"Three rings please."

"Haruna! What are you doing?!"

You smiled innocently at him. "Playing."

"Weren't you listening to me?! I said no one ever--"

"Congratulations, miss. You won the grand prize," the man said, handing you a huge stuffed cow. Riku stared at the rings - all which landed perfectly on the pole with the red band - the same pole that he had been aiming for. You thanked the man, smiling widely as you hugged the fluffy toy. Both humiliated and grumpy, Riku stuffed his hands in his pockets - getting ready to storm off to his little corner behind a trash can and cry there.

Suddenly, the adorable, chibi-looking face of the cow was held before his eyes. He raised an eyebrow in question as you continued to smile sweetly at him. "Here, Riku. You wanted to win this, didn't you?"

Haruna's new friend; Riku's rival

Click [ here] if you can't see it.

Riku's brows knitted together in both disbelief and surprise. He didn't need stupid things like those - they were pointless to a guy. So he held out his hand and pushed the cow back to you. "Keep it. I don't want it."

He walked off as you hugged the cow tightly. You tried to keep up with his suddenly quick pace. "Why not? It's so cute."

"You won the game. It's yours."

"Then why did you play that game anyway if you didn't want the prize?"

"Because I wanted to win it for you!"

You were slightly taken aback by the statement - your wide eyes meeting his. As soon as those words blurted out of his mouth, he quickly covered it with his hand. He didn't mean for you to hear him say that, and he was slightly afraid of what your reaction would be.

A smile touched your face, feeling great gratitude for him. He must've known that you were upset about loosing Sora and Roxas, and wanted to be nice to you. "Thank you."

"Eh..." he trailed off, looking away. You wandered a little bit ahead, the cow doll tightly held in your arms. You missed the faint blush that darted across Riku's cheeks.

"I wonder where Riku and Haruna went..." Kairi trailed off in her sigh, talking mostly to herself than her blonde look-alike. After exploring the haunted house attraction, they lost sight of the both of them. Both Namine and Kairi clearly showed their concerns, while Sora and Roxas...

"Haruna! Haruna, where are you?!" Roxas yelled loudly near one woman's ear. Then he grabbed the collar of a man walking near him, demanding in a threatening way if he had seen the missing girl. The poor guy shook his head with a terrified expression on his face.

"Have you see a girl about this tall with black hair and brown eyes?" Sora asked a few people, taking out Namine's sketchpad. He flipped through a couple pages to show them. "She kind of looks like this."

To where he pointed was a drawing that looked like a little kid's masterpiece. The people within the group tilted their head with funny looks. A couple of them tried to hold in their laughter - failing miserably.

"Haruna? Riku? Haruna?" Roxas zigzagged through every group, trying to find a familiar face. Even asking toddlers in strollers if they've seen them.

"Riku? Are you under there?" Sora asked, flipping through a rock - only to find a couple of ants crawling around underneath it.

"Look kid," a little boy shouted, clearly showing his irritation. He kicked Roxas in the shin and yelled, "I said I found no girl. Now get lost!"

"I wonder where they ran off to," Sora asked himself, leaning against the wall. There was a click behind him, but with all the sudden screaming, it was hard for him to hear what happened. Nearby, a gate from the mechanical animals attraction, releasing a group of wild, mechanical alligators into the streets.

A sweat drop rolled down both the back of Namine's and Kairi's heads as they watched the people run around in circles - screaming like mad men. "I hope we find them soon..." Namine whispered fearfully.

You rested your head against the back of the boat, sighing heavily. The place was dark, dimly lit hearts glowed around the walls of the attraction with a burning, neon pink color. The sound of small, rushing waterfalls caught your ears. And an incredibly annoying love song played in the background.

Out of all the rides they had in the park, why did Riku have to choose this one?

"You okay?"

You turned your head to the same person you were thinking about - and not in a good way. The thoughts that filled your head at the current moment were filled with violent, sadistic torture to the man that sat beside you - such as locking him up in a room that overplayed "It's a Small World" with mechanical robots watching his every move and waiting for the perfect opportunity to take out their jagged-edge knives and kill him. He was sitting uncomfortably close, making you feel very self-conscious with the face that the bench on the boat was too small. And since it was dark, you couldn't even give him your best stare of doom.

So instead, you muttered, "Wonderful."

"I'm sorry about pulling you into this."

"It's fine," you lied, looking away from him and down at the stuffed cow that sat on your lap. With the little amount of space you had between him and the edge of the boat, you hugged your cow - trying not to shiver from the AC they purposely put up high for the attraction. You glared at him from the corner of your eye and asked, "Why the Tunnel of Love?"

He shrugged casually, his face content - even in the dark. Inwardly, however, his mind has been cursing on him since he suggested going on the ride. The two of them walked around the fair a little when he heard Sora's voice from nearby. That didn't leave him enough time to question you as he quickly suggested hopping on the first ride he saw.

You coughed awkwardly, then tried to rub off the goose bumps that spread up your arm. Riku noticed the gesture, hence when he asked, "Are you cold?"

"Yeah... just a little," you smiled through chattering teeth.

Nearly hitting you on the face, he clumsily put his arm around you. He felt you tense in his arms a bit, until you finally relaxed moments later. Amused, he chuckled. "You'd probably enjoy this ride more if I were Sora or Roxas, huh?"

You opened your mouth to automatically protest, until you realized that you probably would rather be with Sora or Roxas in this particular ride. Slowly, you closed your mouth - feeling a bit bad. Riku was helping you find them after all. The least you could do was not seem like you wanted to get rid of him as soon as you found them.

As if he could read your mind, he laughed a little. "It's okay, I understand."

"You... do?"

"Sure I do," he said, with confidence. "I can see why they really like you so much."

"You... do...?"

He laughed at your astonished tone, patting your head. "But... something's been bugging me."

You raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. He released a silent sigh, knowing that this was his chance. He opened his mouth as you waited anxiously for what he had to say next.

A shrilly scream suddenly cut him off and interrupted the creepy, romantic atmosphere. Both of you looked over the head of the boat, seeing a woman standing up with her and her partner's ride rocking shakily. She shrieked something incomprehensible, pointing at something in the dark.

You and Riku slowly turned towards each other, exchanging glances. "Did she say... alligators?" Riku asked. You shrugged, turning to where she pointed.

Sure enough, huge, monster-size reptiles roamed around the attraction. Their long mouths curled back to show their sharp, razor-like teeth. Their eyes glowed red. Their jaws snapped hungrily. And both you and Riku were clinging on each other in fear.

"Aw, hell!" Riku cursed, awkwardly standing up with you still clinging on him. He looked down at the dark water, unsure how deep it was.

"Wait! Wait!" you shouted, seeing that he was preparing to jump.

"What is it?!" he asked just as loudly, his tone filled with very little patience.

"I can't swim!" you reminded him.

"Damn..." he cursed, totally forgetting that crucial information at the moment. He easily pulled you up in his arms - bridal style, you noticed - and stood near one side of the boat. You looked down at the water fearfully, trying not to think about drowning.

You screamed as he jumped off. Then, a couple moments later, you realized that there was a splash - but you weren't underwater. You weren't even wet.

Closing your mouth, you looked at Riku - who was staring right back at you. Then, you looked down, seeing that the water only came below his calves. "Oh..."

"We have to get out of here!" the same person from before yelled, grabbing her - you assumed - husband's arm and nearly dragged him away to the nearest exist.

"Us to!" you mentioned as Riku jumped off the water. You then gazed down and yelled at Riku to stop.

"What?!" he asked impatiently.

With puppy-like eyes, you noticed that your other companion was missing. "My cow! It's still on the boat!"

"Damn cow!" he cursed and sprinted back towards the boat you guys jumped off of with you still in his arms.

"Sora, what have you done?"

"What I've done?!" Sora protested. "It's not my fault they left the switch there!"

Kairi glared at him, her arms crossed. It didn't take the patrol officers to find out who pulled the switch to open the alligator gates. And now her, Sora, Roxas, and Namine were all kicked out - unable to go back in without all the security people watching them.

"We should sneak in," Roxas suggested.

Namine liked the idea, but had her doubts. "How?"

"Well..." he smiled, an idea clicking in his head. The four of them huddled up as they began discussing their plan.

For once in his life Riku felt... nervous. Once they safely reached the evil, man-eating alligators, Haruna asked him to put her down. Then, after commenting on their near-death experience, Haruna insisted on choosing the next ride.

Hence, the long line they were in the middle of.

"Are you sure you want to go on this one?" he asked, feeling a little anxious as he stared at the death-trap ride.

"Of course," she smiled at him, "it'll be fun."

In front of them was a thousand-foot roller coaster. People screamed and puked their guts out from above. The carts were wildly twisting and sharply turning. The dips of the ride were huge, almost reaching the clouds. Whoever wanted to ride this had to be committing suicide.

He glanced at the mile-long line behind him and shuddered.

Looks like a lot of people wanted to die today.

"I'm so sorry, Riku..." you apologized sincerely, frowning.

"I don't know how you even enjoyed that thing!" he shouted, pointing at the roller-coaster of death from the little window. He rocked the ride a bit, and suddenly felt nauseated again.

"I never knew you had motion sickness," you admitted, awkwardly rubbing the back of your neck. When it was finally your turn to go, Riku was nearly hyperventilating next to you. He screamed his lungs out, holding your hand so tightly, he almost broke it. Meanwhile, despite the pain you felt in your hand, you were laughing and cheering.

"And I didn't know you weren't afraid of heights," he shot back.

"You should know that heights are nothing to me. I've climbed trees, sat on rooftops, and reached the top of the climbing dome since I was a little kid," you smiled cockily, then laughed a bit. "But I guess I should've known that you had this thing with wheels."

"It's not a thing!" he protested, glancing fearfully out the window. "I just don't trust how they spin is all."

After that ride, you decided to go on an easy, slow ride to calm him down. Such as, the ferries wheel. There weren't a lot of people on that ride, so you were able to get a spot right away. But getting him on the ride freaked him out more than the roller coaster.

You finally convinced him to get own when you stated that your stuffed cow was braver than he was.

"So," you decided to change the subject, trying to satisfy your own curiosity and trying to keep his mind off wheels at the same time, "what was that thing you wanted to tell me earlier?"

"Hmm?" he blinked at you, turning away from the window.

Then, he remembered the short conversation he had with you at the Tunnel of Love. A blush steamed up his cheeks. "Oh..."

You tilted your head to the side, confused and somewhat concern. "Riku?"

"There's something that's been bugging me," he started, choosing his words carefully.

"You told me that already," you mentioned, a small sweat drop sliding down your forehead. Riku was sure acting strange... maybe he was sick. The color on his cheeks was evidence of your observation.

He breathed in slowly and asked, "Why do you like them?"

The question caught you off guard, making you speechless. He saw the look on your face and clarified, "I mean, Sora and Roxas. Why do you like them so much?"

"I..." you trailed off, feeling a bit troubled. Why did you like them so much? What was it about them that made it hard to decide between them? It seemed like all the answers you could come up with weren't good enough. All expect one.

"Because..." you answered, "I love them."

"Love them?" he repeated skeptically.

"It's hard for me to describe," you honestly admitted, feeling a blush creep up your cheeks. "When I'm around them, my heart feels happy. When they're gone, I'm sad. When I think about them, I smile. When I see them, it's like my whole world lights up."

His eyebrows came close together, clearly showing that he was either confused, or trying to absorb what you said. Like you said, it was hard to describe how you feel when you're with them. After all, love was an indescribable feeling. Even a dictionary couldn't grasp the whole meaning of it.

"I'm sorry if I'm not making sense."

"You are... I think..." he assured you, holding out his hand to stop you from apologizing any further. "I just can't believe that anyone could feel so strongly for two idiots."

You giggled a little. "They're my idiots. I love them the same."

"How can you tell?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," you admitted after a moment of thinking how to answer his question. "It's just the feeling I get when I'm with them. Sora can read me like an open book and can always find ways to make me smile. And everything about him is hard not to like. Roxas is really romantic and something about him draws me into him like a moth to a light. It's... confusing. My heart is torn between them, making it really hard to decide. But that's how I feel. That's why I love them."

"They love you too," Riku said suddenly. "I realized it that night when stars fell from the sky."

"I know they do," you smiled sincerely at him, the expression on your face soft and your eyes distant. "And now you know that I love them too."

"I wouldn't have thought they'd ever find someone meant to be with them," Riku sighed, "not until the fat lady sings. But then, you came along."

You smiled at him sweetly. Even though you still haven't found anyone in the group yet, you were glad that you were able to be with Riku.

He smiled back, thinking the same thing.

After the ride, you and Riku got up - your moods rising happily after the conversation. You haven't shared your feelings about Sora and Roxas to anyone expect him, and it felt good knowing that Riku understands.

Nearby, there were loud cheering and jeers from a crowd. Music pumped so loudly on the speakers, it was difficult to think. Standing on your toes, you spotted a huge, flat screen with slides of different scenery and lyrics. "What's going on?!" you shouted to Riku, your words drowning out from the cheering and the music.

It was a mystery that he was able to hear you through all the havoc that went on. He shrugged, mouthing that he didn't know. The two of you pushed through the crowd to get a closer look. Someone's screaming was louder than everyone else's, and it seemed to vibrate through the whole area that even a deaf person might tell what's going on.

Looking up, you saw a rather rotund woman, half-screaming, half-shrieking the words in a microphone that looked tiny in her pudgy hands. All the people around you were laughing, dancing around, singing along, or cheering. Both you and Riku exchanged glances and burst out in laughter.

"May I have this dance?" he yelled loudly, holding out his hands to you.

Somehow, even though his question was a dull sound in your ears, you were able to understand what he wanted and slid your hands in his. Being as silly as everyone else, the two of you were twirling around, spinning, and letting your feet and arms move wildly on their own.

"Haruna?"

The sound was really faint from the chaos around you two, so you weren't exactly sure if Riku said your name. He stopped abruptly as you looked up at him, wondering why he called you. But from the way his eyes stared above your head, you could tell that whoever said your name came from behind you. You turned your head, and a smile crept up your face.

"Sora!" you chirped happily, tackling him into a hug that almost made both of you clumsily fall over. He laughed, hugging you just as tightly and managed to pick you up to twirl you a little. Riku stood at the sidelines, smiling as he watched you two shout in an attempt to communicate with each other. It seemed like you were showing off your new stuffed cow to him. He walked a bit closer, spotting a redhead and two blondes nearby.

"Look what Riku won for me!" you smiled, showing off the cow by wiggling its front arms.

Riku blinked at what you said, confused on why you told Sora he won it for you. When he caught your eye, you winked - your smile widening. Sora rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I'm not surprised. Riku wins everything."

"I don't know about that," you laughed, cradling the cow in your arms. "This is Riku's new rival."

Sora laughed along with you as Riku shook his head, deciding to leave you alone with him. Once Riku was a good distance away, Sora cupped your face in his hands, smiling brightly at you. "I missed you," you sort of heard him through the applause.

"I missed you too," you replied back, your voice inaudible, even with the dying clapping as they awaited the next singer.

His hands trailed down to your shoulders, and you saw him slowly lean towards you. Before his lips could meet yours, someone pushed him away - pressing their lips against yours.

"Payback!" Roxas' voice shouted at Sora's figure that was sprawled on the floor. You found yourself in Roxas' arms, who was smirking as Sora angrily stood up and yelled at him. Roxas ignored him, his smirk forming into your favorite smile. "Hey, you."

"Hi," you smiled, feeling heat rise up your cheeks. Laughing, you pressed the U-shaped smile of the cow against Roxas' cheek - telling him the same story you told Sora.

Riku walked passed the three of you to talk to Namine and Kairi. "Why didn't I think of that? Sneaking into a crowd?" Kairi asked, mostly to herself.

"Roxas said that it would draw their attention, and it'd be hard for the security to spot us among so many other people," Namine recalled, greeting Riku with a smile. "I'm sorry we couldn't find you two sooner. We searched everywhere, until we got kicked out."

"Kicked out?" Riku tilted his head, mused.

Kairi rolled her eyes and sighed. "Let's say that if Haruna is missing, those two will find her - no matter what extent. I don't know how she can handle them sometimes."

Riku turned his head, somewhat surprised when he saw that you somehow managed to stop Sora and Roxas from arguing with each other. The same lady started singing a slow song as the boys took turns dancing with you.

Riku smiled as he watched you three. "I can."

Onwards to the results >>

Thank you [ lyssalightwing ] for the banner! :)

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Happy Holidays, everyone! I'm so glad that I finished this one-shot in time for Christmas :) So, you guys could say that this is my holiday gift for you. ^.^

Like I said in the memo, the reason that the story summary is completely different from the one in my homepage is because I changed this story a lot - for comical purproses. Originally, Riku was supposed to be more flirty, and Haruna seemed to be more oblivious to everything. When I finished it... I didn't really have much of a feel for it. So with major re-editing, I created this one!

I just want to say that the feedback that I got from the first Riku one-shot, When Stars Fall From The Sky, really blew me away. I never expected it to be so successful, so for the heck of it, I made another one-shot about him. Hence, Until The Fat Lady Sings.

More details about the story...

The scene where Roxas and Haruna first came in the chapter - when he was trying to persuade her to go to the fair - was taken from my Sora x Roxas x Haruna Halloween one-shot that I never was able to put up. Only, Sora was the one trying to persuade Haruna to go and it was written in second point-of-view (you this... you that...).

Somewhere in the middle of the chapter, there was a couple who won a prize and kissed in the middle of the fair. That couple was originally supposed to be Kimi (from Dancing With Prince Charming) and her boyfriend. Kimi is actually my sister's character, and she told me that Kimi didn't look at all like the picture I found. So I just made them into a random couple.

The idea of alligators on the loose actually was a dream of mine. It was really crazy, actually, when I thought about the dream. Me and some person were riding through the tunnel of death and we were on this swan-shaped boat with a heart-shaped cusion. And we were clinging for our lives as dancing alligators and hungry hippos sang to us... yeah...

And finally, the cow... I love him. It's actually based on a real stuff cow that I have that I named Donovan. ^^ I thought it'd make more sense if it was actually a Moogle, but whatever. Cows rule.

So that's the story. And since I've been so good this year, you guys could just vote on the one-shot and message me about what you guys think about the chapter. ^.^ I'm off to go caroling, see ya!