Rich Heart,poor souls

Unspoken Moments

As the bus rumbles along, Riku and Jaden sit side by side, watching the quiet scene of Kai and Zyran resting against each other. Jaden glances over at Riku with a smirk. “I remember when we used to fight like that. Now look at them.”

Riku chuckles softly, his gaze drifting to the window. “Yeah, but we didn’t make a show of it like they do. We were quieter about... things.” His words linger, heavy with memories of the years they’ve known each other. From childhood games to high school dramas, they had always been close—but not close enough.

Jaden tilts his head, the smirk fading into something softer. “It’s funny, isn’t it? We've known each other forever, and yet... sometimes it feels like I don’t know you at all.”

Riku turns his head to meet Jaden’s eyes. There’s something in that statement that hits deeper than Jaden might have intended. “Maybe we’ve both been too good at hiding,” Riku says, his voice barely audible over the hum of the bus.

The silence between them is thick with unspoken words. Jaden leans back in his seat, his fingers drumming lightly on his knee as he glances back at Riku. Memories flood his mind—their first day of school, summer afternoons spent together, all the times they’ve been there for each other without ever saying what really mattered.

“You remember that time at the lake?” Jaden suddenly asks, his eyes unfocused as he stares at the seat in front of him.

Riku smiles faintly. “Yeah. You almost drowned trying to show off. I had to drag you out.”

Jaden laughs, the sound breaking the tension between them. “I wasn’t showing off! I just... wanted to impress you.”

Riku raises an eyebrow. “You never told me that.”

Jaden shrugs, a hint of redness creeping up his neck. “There’s a lot of things I never told you.”

The bus jolts slightly, making their hands brush again, and this time, Jaden doesn’t hesitate. He reaches out, fingers catching Riku’s, holding on just long enough for it to mean something. “I’ve always been scared of saying the wrong thing.”

Riku turns to face him fully now, his expression serious. “And what if there’s no wrong thing to say?”

Jaden’s breath catches in his throat. He’s not sure how to respond, not sure what this moment means. They’ve known each other for so long, yet this feels new—uncharted territory that neither of them had ever dared to explore.

“You’ve always been the one person I could count on,” Jaden says quietly, looking down at their intertwined fingers. “But maybe I’ve been too scared to count on you for more than just... friendship.”

Riku doesn’t pull away. “You think I don’t feel the same?”

Jaden looks up, searching Riku’s face for any hint of uncertainty, but all he sees is the same warmth and understanding that’s been there since they were kids. He feels a knot in his chest loosen, something inside him finally giving way to the possibility of what could be.

Before he can overthink it, Jaden leans in, resting his head on Riku’s shoulder, just like Zyran had done with Kai. The gesture is simple, but the weight of it feels monumental. Riku doesn’t flinch; instead, he shifts slightly, making space for Jaden to get comfortable.

They sit like that for a while, watching the scenery outside the bus window change as they drive further away from everything familiar. Jaden’s voice breaks the silence again, softer this time. “Do you think we’ve missed our chance? All these years and... we never said anything.”

Riku shakes his head gently, leaning his cheek against the top of Jaden’s head. “I don’t think we missed it. I think we were just waiting for the right time.”

Jaden closes his eyes, feeling the steady rise and fall of Riku’s breathing. “And now?”

Riku’s hand tightens around Jaden’s. “Now feels like the right time.”

(What l had to give them there moment yes l won't forget about yuu and Leo and Amara but not with each other:)