Chapter 92: Heart to Heart talk
"Lila..." Riku breathed, his voice a mixture of relief and trepidation. He closed the door softly behind him.
Lila looked up from the bed, her eyes, though still shadowed with the memory of his rampage, held a warmth that made Riku’s heart ache.
"You’re back," she said, her voice quiet and slightly fragile. "Elara said you were with the Dwarves. Did... did it go well?"
Riku walked slowly towards the bed, perching hesitantly on its edge. "It did. We have a plan for the creep. Elder Borin and Thrain are working on it." He paused, searching her face.
"But that’s not important right now. Lila, I... about what happened before... I am so incredibly sorry. I never meant to scare you like that. I never wanted you to see... me like that."
Lila reached out, her fingers gently touching his hand. Her touch was hesitant, but not fearful.
"Riku," she said, her gaze steady, "I was scared. Terrified, even. That... that coldness, the anger... it wasn’t the Riku I knew. The Riku I..." she faltered for a moment, a faint blush rising on her cheeks,
"The Riku I care about is the one who smiles when he sees children happy, the one who brought water to our village when we had none, the one who makes silly jokes and even sillier faces when he thinks no one is looking."
A small, sad smile touched her lips. "That Riku is kind, and gentle, even when he’s being a bit of a mysterious idiot." She squeezed his hand. "I don’t understand where that other... power... comes from. But I don’t want it to change you, Riku. I don’t want it to consume the good man I know you are."