Lost Love (Love Letter From Thief X fanfic) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 7

About halfway home I realized I'm being followed. Taking evasive actions I quickly duck into an alleyway and hide behind a dumpster. I hear the footfall of someone running and then they stop, in front if the alley, I believe. I peek out into the darkness from behind the dumpster. The streetlight brings a silhouette into view.

"Dammit. I lost her." he mumbles as he runs his hand through his hair. Well that sounds awfully familiar. I stick my head out from behind the dumpster.

"Riki?" I ask. And he jumps as I stand and walk over to him.

"Eh....uh, hey! What are you doing out here? I thought you were going home?" He grins, sheepishly. I raise my eyebrows. Really? He's gonna try to pull that?

" 'Dammit. I lost her', " I imitate him perfectly. "Now what are you really doing out here?"

"I do not sound like that!" He says, a little angry. Hehe. How cute.

"You do when you're nervous." I poke him in the ribs.

"Did you mean it?" It comes out no louder than a breath. I look up at him, not sure what he meant.

"You'd...You'd really rather deal with a fake me than me being...real?"

"Riki..." I sigh, leaning against the building, looking up at him,"I said that because seeing you that way was...well, it was breaking my heart again, okay!!!" I sound a little forceful with that last part and he flinched slightly.

"Sorry, didn't mean to yell. But I just couldn't take it. It was...it was breaking me to see you like that and at least if you faked it, you would've put on a smile, even if it was fake." By now I'm nearly in tears.

He stands there and nods his head, seeming relieved. We start walking, strolling really, with no destination in mind.

"Just because I walked out doesn't mean I stopped caring." I murmur, looking down and away. I may want to choke you out, Riki, but I do still love you, you idiot. I'm not sure if he heard-if he did he gave no sign of it.

"So," I start, "other than wanting to interrogating me, why are you out here, instead of the arcade or at the hotel?"

"I told them I needed to take a walk. They were just chatting and getting drunk after you left anyways. The guys are used to me going out at nights."

"So let me guess: Blondie got drunk and turned into an overbearing-come-on-to-anybody-or-anything, you couldn't handle it, came out and happened to see me,since it's a straight shot, and followed me?" I asked, eyebrows arched.

"Hmph....Yea pretty much." He blushes lightly. "The smell of alcohol was getting to me too. Ever since I stopped drinking, I can't stand the smell of it." He wrinkles his nose.

I stopped walking and look at him. "You don't drink? Since when?"

"..."

"Riki..?"

He takes a deep breath and looks at me, "Since three years ago...."He mumbles. It's so quiet, I'm almost not sure of what he said. A silence falls.

"Anyway," he checks his watch. By now I guess it's about 1 am. "Let me take you home."

"You don't have to. I'm sure you need to get back-"

"Just hush and lead the way, already." He grins wickedly.

"Yep. Cocky's back!" I grin wryly as I lead the way to my apartment.