When you woke again, it was to Riki shaking your shoulder in the early morning dark and telling you that you'd reached Evermore Crest. You whined. "No its coldd."
"It's the middle of summer, how can it be cold?" He tugged on your arm and pulled you up until you were standing. "Let's go."
You sighed and forced your eyes open. "Fine." You mumbled. You took a breath and let Riki pull you through the small crowd of a few adults coming from wherever to Evermore.
Half asleep, you both emerged onto the platform. You shivered a little. The summer air was some weird sort of cold and warm at the same time. You glanced at Riki. "Let's sit down for some time."
Riki nodded slowly. "Yeah." He followed you as you walked over to the ticket booth and sat down on the ground next to it. A little bit of light fell over the two of you from the ticket booth and a street lamp a couple of feet away.
You sat with your knees pulled up to your chest and your eyes half shut. "Riki." You said softly, not looking at him. "How will you get back? Does Konon know?"
Riki scooched closer to you until you could feel the warmth radiating off of him. "I called her while you were asleep." He pulled the change from before out of his pocket and studied the glint of the coins in the dim light.
He dropped the coins back in his pocket and looked at you. "I'll figure out a way to get back."
You frowned and let out a soft breath. "I'll just give you some of my money when I get home."
"No."
"Yes."
"Fine." Riki said grudgingly. He stood up and dusted off his pants. "Ready to go?" He asked you. You shrugged sleepily, "Not really, but sure, let's go." You stood up next to him. "I know the way home, I think."
————
You were pleasantly surprised when your surroundings started to become familiar and you found yourself walking down the street that took you to school.
You turned a corner or two and, finally, your house was in sight. You ran the last bit before stumbling to a stop at the bottom of the thin driveway and sitting down on it. You pressed your palms against the surface as you heard Riki jog after you.
You were staring into space. The blacktop was still a little warm from the summer heat, but at the same time cold from the night. You shivered. "I don't think they missed me at all." You said softly.
Riki sat down next to you, looking up the slope of your driveway to the short but looming house. You were the oldest of six, but you were always being forgotten. You let out a soft breath and looked down at the driveway in the dark.
Your surroundings were only barely lit by a couple of street lights and the moon. Riki tapped the back of your right hand where it lay on the warm asphalt. You glanced at him, and a raw spark of impulsiveness burst in your heart.
"Don't you think your forest looks like it's made of candy?" You asked.
"What?" Riki glanced at you out of the corner of his eye.
"Like, the leaves look like they're made of sugar syrup, and if it really were candy, the tree trunks would be chocolate."
"I don't get it." He frowned.
"I think I'm trying to say that being with you feels like being in a fairytale. Like the forest is candy land." You said softly.
"Oh." He still didn't sound sure. He looked down at your hand laying on the blacktop and reached out hesitantly to take it. You let him lace his fingers with yours.
He sucked in his lips. "Have you.."
"Have you had your first kiss yet?" You asked. Riki turned to look at you. His lips slowly grew into a wide grin, the kind of grin were his eyes got scrunched up and he radiated an amused energy. He laughed, "Can you read my mind?"
You laughed too, a bright sort of giggle. It was a weird feeling, laughing in the silent dark, sitting on your sun warmed driveway, only faint light from the street lamps lining the road. "I dunno." You bit your bottom lip to keep your smile from getting too big.
Riki leaned in a tiny bit with a teasing grin. Hesitant, almost shy in a way, but intentional. "So..?" He said softly.
Teenagers make impulsive mistakes.
"Go ahead."
Riki pressed a short soft kiss to your mouth. He pulled away for only a second so you were centimeters apart before leaning back in.
His lips tasted like gumdrops.
When he parted from you, your mind felt foggy; you could hardly understand what was happening. Riki's breath blew across your lips. It smelled like bubblegum and lavender.
"Then.." He murmured against your lips. "Let's get lost in candy land."
You opened your eyes and moved back, your eyebrows furrowed. "Riki.." You said softly. "We're barely more than strangers."
He was looking down at the driveway. He let out a breath and stared coldly at the horizon. "Okay..I get it." He frowned. "I don't know what.."
"I was thinking." You finished. "I don't know either." You stood up and he followed. He was the first to unlace his fingers from yours.
"I'm sorry." You whispered. You felt like you were talking to the darkness rather than to Nishimura Riki.
"It's okay." He said flatly. He gave you a small smile. "I'll figure out the money thing. The change should be enough." He let out a soft breath. He looked bothered, confused. "Bye, y/n."
You barely had time to process his words before he walked down the driveway and retreated into the early morning darkness. The sun was already starting to come up in the distance, but soon enough, not even the street lights lit up your view of him.
You were left standing alone on your driveway in the dark.
"Goodbye, forest boy." You murmured.
