Richozzy Endgame (Oneshots)

And that's the way I loved you.

A/N: This is an idea I've had for absolutely ages, and it was originally going to be a scene in my TNS 8 book. However I ended up scrapping that, so with Richozzy endgame finally coming, I thought I'd adapt the idea to happen after the events of season 8a. Inspired by the lovely Taylor Swift's lyrics from "The Way I Loved You" (you'll see what I mean). This is for those of you who love angst as much as I do. Enjoy!

Ozzy's POV:
I paced around Studio A, where I'd been waiting for an hour. I couldn't believe she was doing this.

Ever since Step Inside, a lot had changed at The Next Step. Richelle, Heath and I had rejoined the Nationals team alongside Kenzie, but the rest of the old A-troupe had moved on. It had been a strange adjustment, but getting to do the Nationals duet with Richelle had made the experience a lot better. She'd become my best friend at the studio and I loved to dance with her. At least when she showed up.

When we performed the duet in the show, I really thought there was something between us. I'd had feelings for Richelle for so long and she'd never returned them, but during that dance, with us looking at each other like that, I felt a glimmer of hope. Plus, with the new duet, I thought it was bringing us closer together. Except, she'd been spending all of her time with Heathcliff lately, and I really didn't know where I stood anymore.

Richelle's POV:
I ran along the hallway of the building, cursing myself for being so late. I couldn't believe I'd let time run away with me, because now Ozzy was going to kill me.

As I entered the studio, I saw Ozzy packing up his bags in an irritated manner.
"Ozzy!" I blurted out. "I'm so sorry! I just lost track of time and-"
"It's fine, Richelle," Ozzy cut me off. "You missed rehearsal. Again. Big deal." His tone was so bitter and it took me off guard. I'd seen Ozzy angry before, but never like this.

"No, please, Ozzy. I know I'm super late but we can still rehearse-"
"No, really, it's fine. It's been an hour. The rehearsal time we booked is over, and Ebby is going to need the space for her solo," he said in the same sharp voice as I stared at him, completely dumbfounded. "Where were you anyway?"
"I was just in Middle-C with..." I trailed off, knowing the reaction I'd get if I finished the sentence.
"With Heathcliff." He laughed a short, humourless laugh. "Well, maybe next time you can remember your team and come to rehearsal instead of gallivanting with your boyfriend."

I was speechless for a moment. I knew what it looked like. Of course I did. And maybe that was the point.

Ever since our duet in the show, something changed between me and Ozzy. And it scared me. Without really realising it, he'd become my best friend at the studio. Maybe even my best friend full stop. And the idea of ruining that terrified me. So I'd been avoiding him as much as I could, and hanging out with Heath so much was the perfect form of self-sabotage. I'd been wanting to push Ozzy away, and here it was, working. And I couldn't have felt worse about it.

"Is this really about the team? Or is it about you, Ozzy?" I replied, channelling my complicated feelings into reciprocating his anger.
"About me?" He scoffed. "How on earth could this be about me?"
"Because you're jealous!" I shot back. His eyes narrowed.
"Jealous? Get over yourself, Richelle. This is about the team and it's about Nationals. Stop trying to put all your guilt on me." And with that, he grabbed his bag and walked out the door.

Ozzy's POV:
I stormed out the studio, seething with anger. But mostly I knew she was right. Of course I was jealous. For so long, I'd had this fantasy of Richelle, a juvenile crush. But once I put that aside, she became my friend. I got to know the real her: the way her nose crinkled in disgust when something annoyed her, the way she sang absentmindedly when she thought no-one was paying attention, the way her voice cracked when she was trying to hide her pain. I knew all of her. And I was absolutely, completely, head-over-heels in love with her.

So yes, I was jealous. And I couldn't stand it.

Knowing I couldn't be at The Next Step right now, I continued to walk with purpose towards the front door of the building. I ignored all the sounds behind me and turned the doorknob. Sucking in a breath of cold air, I stepped out into the rain.

Richelle's POV:
I couldn't believe what had just happened. We had never fought like this before, and I was terrified about what this might mean for us. After staring at the empty doorway for a couple of seconds, I suddenly came to my senses and started to follow.

"Ozzy! Come back!" I shouted after him as I ran through the labyrinth that was our studio's building. His legs were quite a bit longer than mine, and he was already out of sight. After running for a couple of minutes, I made it to the end of the long corridor leading to the front door. Just as he was leaving through it.
"Ozzy!"

I reached the door as fast as I could, and opened it to reveal the heavy blanket of rain that was settling outside. And I had no coat.

Quickly deciding it was worth the potential pneumonia, I darted outside onto the dark street.
"Ozzy!" I shouted. His stride didn't falter as he continued to walk away from me. "He's not my boyfriend!"
"That's none of my business, Richelle. I really couldn't care less."

My breath was becoming ragged as I attempted to keep pace with him, to close some of the distance between us. I didn't know what I was going to say, how I was going to fix this. All I knew was I had to stop him walking away. Stop him from leaving me.

"Well, he isn't my boyfriend and he never will be my boyfriend and for the love of God will you please just stop for one second?!" I exclaimed. He turned to me angrily.
'Why?" he demanded.

By this point, I was soaked to the skin. The rain was pelting me like the words Ozzy was throwing at me, and I could barely see for the water in my eyes. But I didn't care. My vision was fixed on the boy standing under the streetlight before me. The boy who was pretending to be angry, but who I knew was really just hurt. The boy who was currently breaking my heart.

"Because I'm an idiot! I'm an idiot and I got scared. Don't you ever get scared, Oz?" I called down the street at him, the sound of the rain dulling my voice. His gaze was impenetrable. "You've always been there for me, Ozzy. When I lost my title at Absolute Dance, when I broke up with Elliott, even when I tried to leave Step Inside. You always show up for me. When we did that duet, I felt so many things, and I was overwhelmed and I was terrified. Terrified of losing you, and of facing up to what I've subconsciously known for a long time."

I saw a break in the hard exterior Ozzy was projecting as he processed what I was saying. He closed his eyes tight as the rainwater continued to cling to him. He shook his head, and I could see him fighting with himself.
"Why am I stood here, Richelle?" he asked, finally. I stared at him, my heart in my throat, unable to form the words I needed to say. He shook his head once again and turned away from me. He was walking away again and I knew this was my last chance. My only chance.

"Because I'm in love with you!"

I watched as he abruptly stopped in his tracks, frozen, facing away from me. The words lingered between us in the flooded air as he turned back to face me.
"I've been acting like such an idiot, and I was denying it, but Ozzy, I love you. Please, you have to believe me that-"

But he was already taking strides to close the distance between us, and before I knew it, his lips had collided with mine. The air was knocked from me as he clung to my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck. We moved together with such urgency, the taste of rainwater lingering on our connected lips. As we deepened the kiss, our bodies pressed even more tightly together, as if we were trying to morph into one.

I couldn't believe what was happening. After all this time, all this denial, all this fear...I was kissing Ozzy. And it felt so good.

After a long while, we finally broke apart, still clinging desperately to one another.
"My God, I'm so in love with you. I'm never letting you go again," Ozzy breathed.
"Don't you dare."