ꕥ Bright Beginnings ꕥ
Pairing: Rika/gn!reader.
Summary: You and Rika are good friends. Her warmth seems almost too good to be true, especially after so many unsuccessful tries at building something genuine. A Halloween party has you wondering if you even know her as good as you thought you did.
Notes: For day 18 of Mystictober: Rika x MC/Costumes! ~ 2k words. Ambiguous friends to lovers (? Implied mutual feelings at least!). Set in the early days of RFA conception.
Credit: dividers by @/saradika-graphics.
For as long as you knew her, Rika was always outgoing to a fault. The one person in the quiet room of strangers to start up a conversation with a warm smile and a smart question on her tongue that would somehow open up even the most closed up of souls. You were no exception to that rule. You two were good friends, but you couldn't have been more different. In contrast to Rika, you have always struggled with forming new friendships and articulating your thoughts aloud.
You were a wallflower through and through. But somehow, Rika was the only one who saw your droopy petals and cared for you with all the love that an expert gardener like her would have. You were grateful for that. Even if it meant hanging on her arm like a lost puppy whenever she'd drag you places.
You had months to mentally prepare for this Halloween party. Rika was kind enough to let you know a long time in advance because she knew how big of a deal this was to you. And while you were the one who agreed... You still couldn't help but feel peckish as you waited for her to pick you up. From what drink to order to what to do if the floor gave way, you thought of it all and were ready for anything that may happen.
By all accounts, you had nothing to worry about. Despite this, your stupid brain was screaming otherwise.
Rika seemed to sense your aching nerves when she arrived: dressed to the nines and smile shining bright as ever. Which is why she lovingly grasped your hand the whole ride to the venue, not mentioning your clammy palms once. She was so understanding, it was kind of hard to believe she was even real at times. However, you were far too afraid to lose this sweet fantasy that only Rika's smile could give you, and you were far too cautious to actually test your assumptions.
You just let her pull you along like you've always done, finding solace in her friendly voice keeping your nerves at bay. And you had to admit that she looked rather distracting in her Halloween costume, which consisted of a lovely, frilly dress in black and brilliant orange, a flowing cape, and a pair of adorably uneven fangs. It was hard picturing Rika as a vampire, but you'd certainly let her into your home with no second thought. Thus, her strategy may have been smart.
You listened to her in-depth explanation about all the work that went into hosting this party, marveling at the pure passion that seemed to shine off her. She wouldn't just throw a Halloween party for dun, of course. She had to make it meaningful. Even if it's a small donation booth or a few invitations to people who might be feeling down. It still made a difference. Before meeting her, you've never really dabbled into charity work. But it had become a regular part of your daily life, and you knew you weren't alone in feeling this way.
Rika was the type of person who changed the world around her just by being herself.
"...Sounds like you know your way around more than I do," you said sheepishly, smiling back at her.
Rika just chuckled and reached out to give you a friendly flick on the nose. It was hard to feel anxious when her upbeat attitude chased all those unpleasant thoughts away. She offered you a comforting wink and drew you closer to the source of the faint music coming from down the hall. The party itself was already in full swing, it seemed: people dancing, talking, and, of course, drinking. Rika never complained, even though there was a fair bit of noise everywhere.
While the party itself might not have been your cup of tea, it was still fun to see all the different costumes filling out the room. Some went the low-key route, throwing on a couple of devil horns or cat ears and calling it a day, while others went all out with intricate costumes ranging from completely terrifying to a model look straight out of a magazine.
Rika still looked the prettiest in your eyes, though.
She promptly identified a few individuals she knew well, giving them a warm wave and, of course, pulling along by your sleeve.
"Come on! Let's go say hi. I wanted to introduce you for a while now."
You let out a tiny groan, but there's no hiding the small smile on your lips, watching her fondly as she pulled you further into the party. The sight of all the tipsy people and loud music wasn't your favorite thing in the world, but the woman beside you was. You could handle some awkward smalltalk for her sake. You let out a soft, determined sigh and followed her, allowing her to drag you along.
"Fine, fine," you relented, putting a tentative hand on the small of her back to prevent you from getting separated in the crowd. Despite wearing hills, Rika still appeared relatively petite among the guests. There was something very admirable about the way she was able to capture the entire room's attention despite often being the smallest one in the crowd.
Rika moved between smaller groups of individuals, easily navigating across the crowded area. You watched her greet several guests along the way with warm hugs and friendly chatter, her outgoing nature never faltering, it seemed. She remembered every name, face, and detail, no matter how minor. Hobbies, personal matters, even recent purchases. No matter how different they were, she had the ability to make everyone feel heard and understood.
Though... standing by and quietly watching her work her magic made you wonder. She has given so much of herself to strangers and close friends alike... But has anyone made her feel the same?
You had never considered that before, and it made you feel slightly guilty. Here you were, idolizing her as if she's some picturesque idol of perfection, but... At the end of the day, Rika was a normal human just like you, wasn't she? Did she too have days when all she could think about was sad things? If so, you've never seen it. And this concerned you.
You didn't want her hiding her pain and struggle from the world. From you.
You two arrived at a tiny kitchen area with a makeshift bar station set up after catching up for around thirty minutes. Several bottles of various alcoholic beverages in various states of fullness lined the decorated countertop, and a fridge wrapped in cobwebs fully stuffed with canned drinks of choice. It was quite impressive.
Rika released your wrist, taking off her heels to rest her feet and stretching up on her tip-toes to reach a modest-looking bottle of what seemed to be iced tea stashed further away from all the alcohol. Right, Rika did usually abstain from drinking. You wondered if that was a personal stash of hers then, maybe. You will absolutely not be complaining. Your head was already fuzzy enough from all the chatter and music, you didn't need to add alcohol to the mix.
She turned to smile at you as she took the bottle down and went to get two plastic cups from the bar.
"Care for a drink? You must be thirsty," she asked, a touch of lighthearted teasing heard in her voice. You didn't really need to respond because she was already filling out your cups. She set them down on the counter, grabbing a lemon from a nearby fruit bowl. "I actually made it myself, you know. There's a peach tree growing on the other side of V's house, and I couldn't help but feel bad watching all the peaches just lying on the grass... You'll be my third taste-tester!"
Her words were as sweet as ever, and you couldn't help but laugh. Almost as sweet as the cool peach tea you took a generous sip of. It was refreshing and tangy on your tongue, with the lemon slices adding just the right amount of sourness to balance off the sweetness. A perfect drink to clear your head. You both enjoyed your beverages side by side without needing to engage in endless discussion for a minute or two.
You wondered if Rika would get tired of constantly tending to every person's whim. If she needed this brief respite as much as you did. If... you were someone she was comfortable sharing this respite with.
But in a way, this thinking felt self-serving. Here you were, wanting special treatment from her, when she's done nothing but look after you as long as you've known her. You only wished you could thank her somehow.
"...It's really good. I bet it would've gotten snatched up in half an hour if it weren't stashed up there," you said, finally deciding to break the silence. You did mean it, too. This tea wouldn't last long if it was out in the open.
Rika gave you a smile that was more proud than beaming. It was cute. Usually she was the one giving you compliments, not the other way around.
"That's why I made sure to keep it away until you gave your verdict. V praises everything I do, but I know I could count on you to be honest."
...Huh.
Although it didn't seem like a jab on her part, it was enough to make you raise an eyebrow to hear her use those words to describe V. You only talked to the man a handful of times, and each one left you feeling some level of weirdness. He had an artistic spirit, so that was understandable, or so you reasoned. Either way, it's true that you can't remember a single instance of him giving any semblance of negative feedback to her, lighthearted or not.
Would he really eat a burned meal and not complain? You supposed that was kind of sweet, but... You did value honesty in your relationships quite a bit.
"Speaking of being honest... This may be a strange question to ask, but... Are you... tired?" It was a tentative attempt, but you wanted to go through with it nonetheless. It felt odd. Rather than the other way around, to be the one doing the check-in with her. You didn't mind it, though. "I know my throat starts hurting real bad if I talk for so long."
If anything, a more lighthearted comment helped to alleviate some of your embarrassment.
Rika blinked, giving you a look that seemed more surprised than you would expect.
"Do I seem tired to you?"
Oh no, did she misinterpret it? She didn't seem upset with you, but it did leave you feeling sheepish regardless. You chuckled uneasily and rubbed the back of your neck.
"No, no, you look wonderful, you always do," Wait, wrong topic, go back-! Your face heated up with embarrassment as you cleared your throat: "What I mean to say is... It's... okay to take a break if you need one. You always told me that, and... I just... want you to remember that for yourself, too."
You didn't dare look up at her as you said it, suddenly finding the floor tiles rather intriguing to analyze. However, when you felt her move closer to you and gently tilt your chin up with the tips of her fingertips, all you could see was her. And the warmest of smiles you've ever seen on her lips before. The kind that caused your breath to catch in your throat as if you had momentarily forgotten how to breathe.
"...Thank you, MC. You know... I am tired. I don't like showing it, but... with you, I don't feel like it's wrong. Should we be tired together then, maybe?"
All you could do was nod, a different type of warmth now blooming deep within your ribs, threatening to fill your head with cotton to make you stupid.
When you two returned to the party, your fingers were locked together.
