DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.

NOTE: I have published this fic before but took it down because I received a review from a guest who said that my writing was OOC. To be honest, I didn't feel that way when writing this fic. I watch the show and I read the comics as well. I thought it was okay, but of course, everyone sees characters differently :) In the comics, Riven isn't that much of an asshole though he does have his not-so-fine moments. So, this fic is written from my perspective of Riven and Musa.

Moving on:

So... I have done something very similar to this for my favorite couple (SxB). I also love Musa and Riven! I honestly hated Iginio Straffi for breaking them up! (I still do!) But he totally made up for it when he brought Riven back! But honestly...seeing season 8's art style...I'm not sure if I should be delighted that Riven's back or freaked that the Specialists look like stretched toddlers o.O Just when I thought it can't get any worse now that the girls look like they're 12 years old...the Specialists totally beat them by looking like they're 2, but pretending to be 25. Yay.

Anyways, this one-shot is filled with random drabbles (not necessarily in chronological order), each about Musa and Riven. I love them so much, but I just can't write good, long stories about them. I'd LOVE to write a story about them one day. But...until then, I hope you guys enjoy my first one-shot about MxR!

I hope you enjoy!

-:-:-

"I don't know how the hell you even like him, Muse," Stella snorted in distaste. She scoffed at her best friend's horrible taste in men.

Musa laughed at the blonde before shaking her head. "I don't know...he's just so mysterious and all. I just want to know what he's keeping hidden. You know what I mean?"

"Not really. My sweetheart and I have nothing to hide, whatsoever!" the blonde dreamily blushed.

Musa shook her head before zoning her gaze into a tall male with dark red, spiked-up hair. His face was of mild irritation as he sat with his group of friends. He was different somehow. He didn't talk much but did make occasional spontaneous and hilarious snarks at his friends.

She didn't honestly know why he was so interesting. He was nothing out of the ordinary and frankly...kind of boring too. He disliked practically everything that walked happily on this planet.

So why did he appeal to her so much? She didn't know. All she knew was that he definitely had her attention.

-:-:-

"You need what now...?" Riven repeated, baffled, as he popped open the Coke can in his hands.

Jared sheepishly scratched the back of his neck before letting out an exhausted sigh. "Yeah, I gotta interview one of the most inspiring seniors around here for the school newspaper. How the hell do I do that? There's like a thousand seniors," he complained as he sighed at the workload that's been slammed on him the moment he got accepted as part of the yearbook staff this year.

Riven raised an eyebrow before remaining quiet.

"Any suggestions?" Jared shrugged, going through the list of seniors.

Riven watched Jared scroll through the list, crossing off a few names every now and then. He sipped his drink casually before a name caught his eye, halting him still. Just as Jared was about to turn the page, Riven placed a hand on the paper, preventing the former from going over the next page. Jared looked at him with confusion but Riven's eyes were trained on a certain name. "Her," he quietly answered before tapping his finger on the name.

Jared watched Riven walk away with a small smirk on his boyish face, quietly drinking his Coke, uninterrupted. Jared's eyes shifted back to the paper.

Musa Melody.

-:-:-

After not hearing from him for more than two days, she started to get worried. She wasted no time in marching up to his house.

She knocked on the door multiple times, but no answer. She knew he was inside.

With a scoff, she used the spare key he gave her before pushing her way in. She knew his parents weren't home. They went on a business trip somewhere. She climbed up the stairs rapidly and made sure that he knew she wasn't taking his ignorance attitude anymore.

"RIVEN!" she shouted angrily as she marched to his door before nearly kicking it down.

Her eyes widened when she saw that he was passed out on the floor beside his bed. "Riven!" she shouted, out of concern this time, before running to him in panic. "Riven!" she yelled out of desperation, not knowing what to do.

A low grunt escaped his lips as his ears twitched at the sound of her screaming. Her eyes watched with bated breath when she watched him slowly open his violet-blue eyes. He let out a tired sigh before blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

His eyes widened when his vision cleared to show him Musa sitting on her knees, clearly worried. "M-Musa...?" he whispered in shock before slowly sitting up straight. "What are you doing here?" he asked tiredly.

Musa breathed out of relief before narrowing her eyes in anger. "What am I doing?! What are you doing?! Where the hell have you been the past few days?!"

He stood up straight before addressing her defensively. "That's none of your business, Musa," he frowned darkly before rubbing his face.

She blinked in hurt. She honestly didn't know why she even bothered to be his friend. His defensive attitude every day is hurtful, and she honestly didn't know why he kept himself closed off. How does that help him?

"Well, I'm so sorry for being worried!" Musa snapped.

"Well, no one told you to be!" he fired back angrily, making her jump back, startled. Her eyes went wide as she watched him yell at her. Sure, he was crass and rude all the damn time, but...he never yelled.

With a tired sigh, she spoke with hurt. "You know...I always wonder why you talk to me. If you can't even stand me, why do you even bother?" she asked. "Well, don't worry. I won't ask you anymore," she said with glistening eyes. Without another word, she turned on her heel, not wanting to let him see her cry.

Damn him! It was so hard for her to cry but he makes it happen just like that on an almost daily basis.

He sighed as he watched her leave. He frowned, his heart telling him to follow her and set things right again. He followed her out of his room before picking up his pace to grab her wrist. "Musa...wait," he said, his tone softer than the one he used moments ago.

"What do you want, Riven?" she asked quietly as she turned around with barely any emotion.

"I didn't mean to yell," he shrugged.

"Why does it matter? If not today, then you'll push me away tomorrow. It doesn't make any difference. You'll always push away everyone who cares about you. So why bother?"

He remained quiet before letting her hand go. "You're right. It's something I've learned to do since my mother left me on the streets as a f***ing orphan on this very day years ago," he growled but the anger wasn't directed at her.

Her eyes widened at the information. She knew that he's adopted but for her to know this...

She finally understood his mood swings, his tendency to live alone, and his closed-off personality. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She watched him struggle with himself. Her eyes watered because she knew the pain of losing a mother as well. It must've been so hard for him to share that information. She had a hidden feeling that she's the only one he's ever shared something so personal.

"...Riven..." she started, making him open his eyes. "You don't have to live in the past. You can live here. The present. You have people who will stick up for you...if you let them. You have people who will love you..." she trailed off with a hitched breath, unknowingly admitting her feelings to him. "...if you let them," she quietly finished as his eyes widened slowly.

"If I let them...?" he repeated back while taking a step closer to her. And just like that, his feelings for her become so unbelievably clear. The reason why he even bothered to talk was that...he felt the need to.

"I don't want to let anyone in... but you," he told her before getting ahold of her face with his palm. Without further delay, he swooped in to capture her lips, smiling faintly when she slowly kissed him back after recovering from the immense shock.

-:-:-

They honestly didn't know when they started dating. It all started with their mutual friends becoming couples, leaving them as eleventh and twelfth wheels. Then testing each other against one another's stubbornness, the quiet and lingering glances when they thought that neither was looking and the 'casual' hangouts outside of class until they eventually escalated into friendly banters and jests at each of their respective homes.

It's like they always knew they had a thing for each other, despite neither of them explicitly saying the words out loud.

An unrushed, magnetic kiss in a dimly lit hallway of his home was all it took for them to step up their game.

They appeared in school the next day, throwing each other genuine smiles that only the other would see. It was just so baffling to see how natural it felt.

He never asked her to be his girlfriend and frankly, neither did she.

He wasn't the type of guy to kiss just about any girl for the heck of it or in heat of the moment. Neither was she. There was never a need for the asking. It was like it's already been telepathically communicated between them.

So... why bother?

-:-:-

In the last few times, she honestly didn't know how many times she's been accused of entering into a toxic relationship. People thought she was delusional, except for her friends. They just didn't understand.

Yes, he's as dense as a rock! Yes, he's stubborn! Yes, he gets jealous easily! Yes, he's a total jerk! Yes, yes, and yes!

But...why is it that everyone focuses on a person's flaws more than their integrity?

Why didn't they ever talk about the times he cheered her up during every one of her mother's death anniversaries? Why didn't they talk about the time he nearly got himself killed in a car accident for pushing her out of the way?

Okay, so he's not perfect. So, he's 'toxic'. Then what about them?

Where were they when she needed someone?

Yes, he's not perfect. He's 'toxic'. He's been there for her in her darkest moments. He made sure she never felt alone ever again. So, if this is what the new definition of 'toxic' is, she'd gladly inhale it.

-:-:-

With an aggravated huff, she slammed her laptop shut angrily. Hours and hours of pacing around, listening to other forms of music, and rewriting/tuning the notes proved to be vain. She had no idea what to produce next month for her solo at the annual high school talent competition. How could she even think of volunteering for a solo without having something to sing?! The problem was she wanted to do something original. Something that screamed her name. With the worst timing for a lack of inspiration, she has no choice but to withdraw her name.

As if her rage wasn't enough, her phone started to holler for her attention. She nearly chucked it at the wall. Unable to bear the incessant rings, she nearly growled and picked it up. "I'm busy! PISS OFFFF!" she yelled into the phone, not really caring who is on the other end. She slammed it shut and threw it aside.

A few minutes later, the anger left her body as tears erupted in her eyes. "I'm so useless," she sniffled.

And suddenly on cue, the doorbell rang, and she hastily freed her eyes of moisture. The doorbell continued to ring, leaving her to glare in annoyance. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" she shrieked in anger before flying downstairs. "Hold your horses!" she shouted. She marched to the front door to give the rude intruder a piece of her mind when her voice fell still after opening the door. "Riven?" she blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, someone told me to piss off. And I was wondering if I can do that here," he smirked before showing himself in, uninvited.

"That was you?" she said in confusion before checking her call logs.

He raised an eyebrow before sighing in relief. "Phew. So, you weren't really mad at me. I thought you were mad at me for talking to Darcy," he shrugged.

"No, I'm not." Her eyes widened when she realized what he said. "Wait. YOU DID WHAT?!"

He started to laugh at her reddening face. "You should've seen your face!" he started to crack up, leaving Musa to glare at him.

"..." she stared at him before her eyes produced tears. "Go ahead. Laugh. That's all everyone does!" she sniffled angrily before she ran upstairs.

Riven crossed his arms for a few moments before shaking his head and following her up. He took two at a time before entering her room where she was moping on her desk. He treaded slowly towards her before hunching over the desk leisurely. He placed a comforting hand on her back.

"What's wrong, Muse?" he asked in concern.

"I can't think of anything..." she cried, lifting her head up. "I don't know what to do, Riven..."

He stared at the tears in her pitch-blue eyes. "How about going to the movies?" he smirked.

"Riven!" How can he suggest something like that?!

"You're too stressed," he said. "So, instead of spending hours crying, why not come with me? Screw the competition, Musa. You don't need to prove your worth."

"This means so much to me though," she sniffled, staring at the flyer. She happened to stumble on it at the last minute, but she still seized the chance, not wanting to lose an opportunity to show off her musical talents.

"I know..." he said with a sigh. "Can I be honest with you?"

She nodded, but still feared his response.

"Sometimes...things don't go our way. And... it's okay to lose," he said. He was the last person to admit this about losing. Maybe that's why he's better at preaching than following his own words. "What's important is you learn from those mistakes," he continued preaching, feeling awkward and downright stupid.

"Hey, I say that all the time!" she said as a small smile bloomed through her tear-filled eyes. "You're quoting me to me?"

"Well, every once in a while, you need to hear it too," he said, giving her one of his rare smiles that are reserved for only her.

"Thank you, Riv," she sniffled.

A faint smile pulled at his lips before it vanished when he realized what time it was. "...So... are movies still on?" he asked cluelessly. "There's a movie I've been wanting to watch."

She started to laugh. "Yeah. Let's go," she said. He's right. She's not going to let one measly competition rule her life. Or confidence.

-:-:-

She sobbed frantically like a mad soul before running away.

From her problems, from her life, and from him.

She didn't acknowledge the following, thundering footsteps behind her nor the fact that he was considerably faster and more agile than her.

Within moments, she let out a surprised cry when she felt herself being lifted in the air.

"Musa, please!" he shouted to stop her struggling in his arms.

"Why should I?!" she sobbed. "Why are we even together?! All we do is fight all the time!"

Riven looked her with pained eyes. "Please, Muse..." he pleaded. "You're the one who held us together. Please don't give up on us now," he begged.

"What if...what if this yelling and shouting leads to something else in the future?" she whispered while staring at him deeply in the eye.

His violet-blue eyes widened to the point of popping out of their sockets. "...You think I'll h-hurt you...?" he asked hoarsely.

Now it was her turn to start protesting. "What?! No, God, no!" she squealed immediately, repulsive against the very idea. "But...I just..." she cried. "It hurts so much when you and I fight, Riv. I just...I love you and-" she stopped in her tracks when he suddenly let her go.

She stared at him with disbelieving, shocked eyes when his eyes started to glisten with pain. Without further delay, he wasted no time as he slumped down on his knees. Her eyes widened as she blinked rapidly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he stared up at her. "I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice begging for her to not leave him.

Tears rolled down her cheeks rapidly as she bent to his level before throwing her arms around him. "You idiot!" she cried. "Don't ever do that again," she whispered with a small sob.

It killed her to see him apologize like this. She knew he was the type of man to never apologize for anything but...seeing him do it now on his knees, she just knew in her heart that she can't give up on them.

She just can't.

-:-:-

"Riven!" she cried out happily before leaping straight into his arms.

"Hi to you too!" he exclaimed, sarcasm dripping from his tone, before regaining his balance. "It's not like I just saw you this morning!"

She laughed before smiling into his neck. A second later, her heart tingled as he hugged her back before kissing her shoulder. "Hi, Muse," he said in that soft, yet at the same time, rough tone of his. He gave her the smile that he reserved only for her before leaning to kiss her. "Ready to go?"

She nodded before they got into the car to drive up to their house and hopefully unpack at least a fourth of their stuff before nightfall.

-:-:-

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK!" she shrieked and flew off the rails in total panic. She screamed his name in livid fear. "RIVEN!" she yelled like a banshee, scaring the busily showering male upstairs.

Hearing the cry, with panicked eyes, he removed the shampoo from his eyes as quickly as possible before leaping out of the tub. He practically flew downstairs, his feet barely touching the floor. Water dripped down the stairs, but he didn't care.

"WHAT?! WHAT?! WHAT'S WRONG?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" he shouted, assuming a fighting stance. His eyes widened to the point of bulging when he saw her sprinting towards him. He let out a surprised grunt when she jumped around him and wrapped her legs around his body, not caring that she's getting wet too. He wrapped his arms around her to support himself, but she was shaking so badly.

"HELPPPP!" she screamed into his shoulder while he looked behind her, wondering if there's an intruder in the house.

She absolutely refused to step on the ground, so he had a one-twenty-pound, slim noirette clinging to him like a second skin. "What the hell is going on!?" he asked worriedly before peeping around the kitchen. There was no one there.

"NOOOO! Take me away! RATTTT!" she screeched in his ear, making him nearly deaf.

He blinked in response to her before going slack. His concerned and panicked, wild look turned into one of annoyance and anger. "What the hell, Musa!" he snarled, turning to her. He thought there was a burglar or something! He glared at her, but she looked like she was about to cry in fear.

But she seemed oblivious to her fiancé's rage. "RATTTT! BEHIND YOU!" she screamed, making him jump along with her. He jumped a foot away before turning around, holding her tightly in his arms.

Twenty minutes of chasing, breaking, screeching, and jumping with adrenaline, the little creature was harmlessly thrown outside using a mousetrap. He stepped into the house again and locked the door behind him, fully annoyed. He honestly couldn't believe he stepped outside with only a towel and a half-showered, damp body.

Finding her shaking in the living room, he seized her waist. "For the record, that's a mouse," he rolled his eyes at her indignance of distinguishing the clear difference.

"Same shit!" she cursed while looking wildly around her for any other sign of disgusting critters. "We're ordering take-out for today," she shuddered.

He laughed before dragging her upstairs.

"Wait, where are we going?!" she asked in confusion.

"To finish my rudely interrupted shower," he smirked before tossing her over his shoulder, earning a fresh set of frightened screeches as he ran upstairs.

Now this kind of screaming...I can bear, he chuckled.

-:-:-

He entered his home after a long drive to no particular destination. It was his favorite things to do. Just going on a drive in his car and blasting the hell out of his eardrums with music was always relaxing to him. It rejuvenated his peace and toned his irritation and anger by many notches.

But he stopped mid-stance and recoiled a step back in horror when he saw the interior of his home. It was decorated with lavish Christmas ornaments and decorations. A huge Christmas tree was placed in the middle. He watched at the flickering tree as it's adorned by tiers of colorful lights. Covered in golden and silver ribbons, the pine tree was covered in glittering ornaments, the most spectacular one of all being the large, gold star resting on the top of the tree.

"Surprise!" a melodious, cheerful voice cried out, jumping into the living room, dressed all Christmassy. A dark red and white Christmas sweater paired with black leggings and matching dark red boots, topping it off with a Santa hat where a golden bell rested at the ends and jingled with each of her movements, Musa practically screamed and smelled of Christmas cheer.

"Hi, Riven!" she laughed before running to him and hugging the life out of him. Riven stumbled back in surprise but his eyes only blanked at the decorations around the home. There were even scented candles of pumpkin spice, pine, gingerbread, peppermint, fir, and cinnamon, just begging to be lit one after the other. "So, what do you think?" Musa grinned at him, but he still looked lost.

Seeing his silence, Musa bit her lip in nervousness before stepping back from him. She shook his arm. "...Riv?" she called out to him.

At the sound of his name, he finally snapped out of his trance and looked down at her, who looked almost afraid and disheartened at his reactions. He didn't have the heart to take away her beautiful smile since she clearly put so much effort and love into this. A small smile bloomed on his lips. "I love it, Muse. Thank you," he whispered before pulling her in for a hug. Musa's nervous frown turned into a full-fledged grin at his response.

"C'mon! Let's go eat!" she tugged on his shirt.

"Uh...just...just give me a chance to change. Okay?" he asked quietly in a low voice and brushed past her before heading to his room. Luckily, his room was spared of the nightmarish festive spirit.

Meanwhile, Musa couldn't suppress the giddy grin inside of her. Christmas was never her favorite holiday but ever since she moved in with Riven a few months, she made it a mission to enjoy every day with him. He didn't really care much for holidays or events but celebrating even the most minuscule things was important to her. She wondered if any of her friends were free for the day.

"Hey, Nabu," Musa smiled. "Do you guys want to come over?"

"Is Riven okay with that?" Nabu asked curiously, a little too surprised by the invitation.

"Yeah, why wouldn't he be?" she laughed.

"Musa...Riven doesn't celebrate Christmas," Nabu replied gently. "His father died in an accident years ago during the holidays."

Musa's eyes widened as she nearly dropped the phone in shock. She covered her mouth as tears erupted in her eyes. And finally, everything clicked into place as she realized why he would make countless excuses to bail on the festive spirit. She began to hyperventilate as she looked around the room, the present she had surprised him with and the look he had on his face when he walked in. It wasn't a look of surprise; it was one of horror.

Tears spilled messily down her cheeks as she immediately chucked the phone aside and barged into his room with tears in her eyes. The sudden bang surprised him as he turned around only for her to catch him with tears sliding down his cheeks. He turned around quickly to clear his face of moisture, obviously not wanting her to catch him in such a vulnerable position. Her heart only broke further.

"Riven!" she cried, rushing to him and hugging all of him to herself. She started to cry and apologize in messy disarray of hysterical sobs. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Riven! Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she cried her eyes out, feeling like an absolute monster for reminding him of the one painful thing in his life that took away his chance to have an innocent and beautiful childhood.

He immediately understood that she knew. Not sure how, but she knew. He slowly wrapped his arms around her. "Don't apologize, Musa," he said, hugging her back and nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck to hopefully calm her down. "You couldn't have possibly known," he said in a soft voice, trying to mask his own pain with it.

"I should've," she stammered before choking on her voice. "I'm sorry, Riv! I'm so sorry!" she sobbed.

Seeing that she was crying needlessly, he pulled back and held her shoulders firmly. "Stop," he said with an edge. "This isn't your fault and I don't want you to apologize," he told her firmly. "I've never spoken about my dad. There's absolutely no way you could've known," he said.

"But I should've," she protested in a whisper. "I should've known," she sniffled, feeling no less than absolute shit. "We've been together for two years," she cried.

He cupped her face. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he said, giving her one of his rare, comforting smiles. "This is our first Christmas together since we moved in together. You wanted me to have a good holiday, that's all," he smiled.

"I'm sorry, Riven," she whispered weakly.

"I don't want you to apologize. You'll never have to apologize for anything when you're with me," he smiled. He thought for a moment. "Maybe if you flirt with other guys," he said out loud in a peeved voice. She giggled through her tears before hugging him tightly.

"I'll take everything out," she sniffled before stepping out of his arms. He didn't stop her. While he did love her, for his own sanity, he really didn't want to see any Christmas decor.

She broke away from his arms and went out to get a few cardboard boxes from the nearest store.

He sighed and stepped into the living room, eager to get all of this away from here. The large Christmas with a golden star ornament perched on the top only made him wistful. The gift-wrapped presents underneath the tree caught his eye as he found himself walking towards it.

He picked up the smallest of the boxes and held it in his hands.

Riven picked up the box under the tree. He casually opened it to reveal what seemed to be a customized music box. He smiled slightly. He should've expected that Musa would give him something music-related for Christmas.

When he was little, his dad would do something like this. They didn't have much, but he was still happy. He never cared about money or luxury until...his dad fell ill. #FcukCancer. He was barely five years old when his dad left him. After the authorities sent to his mother, she was as fast as lightning to abandon him in a foster care center. He realized from an early age that money is the only thing this world cares about.

He eyed the music box wistfully and switched it on.

His eyes suddenly blinked in surprise when he heard Musa's sweet voice. ***

One to one, singing through the static,

Feels so right, we're like automatic,

Walls are coming down,

To the sound of our melody-dy,

I know I belong with you...

She wrote a song for me...? He stared at it in disbelief, pausing the song. He clutched the music box close to his heart. His Musa wrote a song, dedicated to him.

He finished playing the song. Tears touched his eyes as her melodic voice sprung beautiful notes about him. She poured her soul into the song, not stopping to at least take a fast breath. After the song ended, he felt so overwhelmed with emotions that he didn't know what to think.

He gently moved to place it aside somewhere safe when one last message stopped him.

"Merry Christmas, Riven. I love you," she said.

He could practically hear her smile through the recording. It was clear to him that she put so much effort into this and not something she pulled off in the last minute.

"I love you too, Musa," he whispered as tears touched his eyes. He changed so much because of her. He became a better man because of her.

Just at that moment, she returned with the cardboard boxes. "You can go inside. I'll clean this up," she told him with guilt. She went to the tree to pull the ornaments off before he suddenly stopped her. He gently grasped her wrist, earning a look of confusion from her. Without words, he pulled her into a hug and tightly wrapped his arms around her. "Merry Christmas, Musa," he whispered, his lips stroking her temple. Spending this holiday with him was obviously very important to her since she went above and beyond to turn this place into a festive attraction. It might not seem like he cares but anything important to her will always be important to him.

Her eyes widened as she stared at him in complete surprise. Instead of the pained look she had seen on him before, she saw a warm smile from him.

Tears touched her eyes. "Merry Christmas, Riven," she smiled.

He smirked before leaning to kiss her while his thumbs swiped her tears away.

He was no longer going to be a loner on Christmas. He had a life, one with the girl of his dreams right by his side. It wasn't necessary to torture himself with the past any more than he had to.

So... he thought to himself. I guess this will be a merry Christmas after all, holding the music box tightly in his hands. He couldn't honestly wait to see what other beautiful gifts she brought him. There were a few more boxes underneath the tree. But that also meant that...

He had some last-minute Christmas shopping to do.

-:-:-

He was never the type of person to look into a mirror longer than necessary. Since the beginning of time, it's been said that mirrors reflect your inner souls and show your worst nightmares.

He wasn't the type of person to believe in any urban legends or myths, much less something spiritual. But...ever since he was a young boy, a part of him avoided mirrors as much as possible. All he saw was freezing cold yet living shell of a broken child with no hope for vision or aims in his life whatsoever.

That is...until she entered into his life. He smiled to himself faintly, something he found himself doing a lot often these days. Just a mere thought of his beautiful girlfriend made him feel over the moon. She made him something inside of him turn until he started to glow outwardly, much to everyone's wonder.

Even though he took great precautions to let them wonder cluelessly, it didn't take a brainiac to know that it was Musa who changed him. It's not that he was embarrassed by her or anything like that. He just didn't want anyone's attention on her. He wanted to have her all to himself.

And I will, he smiled to himself while eyeing the top rack of his closet where a small, velvet-blue box lay hidden underneath layers of folded clothes.

-:-:-

He never had a home, to begin with. Sure, he had a shelter and a roof over his head. But, that distinct feeling of loneliness never strayed too far from his mind.

His foster parents and older brother never let him feel like an outsider. Yet, he felt like one. Not because of them, but because no matter how hard he tried, the truth never really slipped his mind. He didn't have a family of his own. Sure, his foster family was great, but something always felt off. He longed to have a real family of his own. But...how was that possible?

His bitter past and stubborn nature made it difficult for him to trust anyone.

Until...

Musa.

How crazy did he have to be to even think of proposing to her within the first year they started dating? But he didn't do it. They barely finished high school as is and at that age, a proposal usually meant that there was a baby on the way. And he didn't want her to be put through that kind of social anxiety.

So, he waited.

He waited until they finished school and headed off to college.

He waited until they both finished all the years in college, even though there was very well a chance that she might not feel the same anymore. Long distance relationships had a stereotypical tendency to fall apart and break hearts.

But that isn't the case with them. They made it work even though they were sometimes seen as one of the most problematic couples between their friends and family.

Six years of togetherness later, he couldn't wait long enough anymore. He bent down on one knee and asked the question he's been wishing to since the day he kissed her.

"Will you marry me?"

-:-:-

Her navy-blue eyes pricked with tears. The air today was chilly and twirled with gloomy, cocktail-blue shaded clouds. It was as if the weather knew how broken she felt on the inside. She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes, but tears fell down anyway. They froze against her cheeks as the temperature dropped at this time of year.

Her mother's demise was years ago, but it never hurt any less. It hurt more on certain significant days like her birthday, her graduation, and her mother's death anniversary...which is today.

She stepped into the cemetery and felt the temperature dropping even lower. She felt cold and pale, nearly sick to her stomach. Her heart burned with pain as she made herself over to the gravestone.

She gasped and stopped in her tracks when she saw Riven perched on one knee in front of the gravestone. He murmured something that she couldn't quite hear before getting up. His eyes instantly fixated on her. He frowned at her lost face before opening his arms wide. Tears fell her cheeks rapidly as she instantly wrestled her way into his arms. She broke down, just as she did every year. She sobbed in his arms while he quietly listened. He wound his arms instantly around her tightly as she cried like a lost soul.

She calmed down when he continued to whisper that he will always be there for her.

Minutes later, she pulled back just enough to look into his face. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

He remained quiet for a moment before answering. "I was getting your mother's permission."

Blinking her eyes in confusion, she asked, "For what...?"

He took a deep breath. "For this," he replied before bending down one knee and taking out a velvet box.

She gasped and covered her mouth in shock.

Opening the box, he wasted no time.

"Will you marry me?"

-:-:-

Our relationship has never been perfect. Far from it, actually. We fought every hour, every waking minute. At first, they were pretty petty and probably my fault too (and I'd rather jump off a cliff than admit this to anyone, especially to myself than her). But...I soon realized that she deserved better than this and I needed to be the one to change.

I'm not a romantic guy. I've never given her flowers on stupid traditions like Valentines. I've given her hugs and kissed her tears away whenever she had a bad day. I sat in her room despite knowing she'll be busy with writing her music for an upcoming competition. Instead, I gave her an album of old photos that I managed to find from her late mother's singing career. I held her on the cold nights she felt alone and told her I need her more than she needs me.

Yes, I love her. Yes, I want to marry her. Yes, I want to spend every last breath of my life with her.

That's my promise to her if she becomes mine and mine alone forever. Despite being together for six years, I was still nervous. I thought I should follow the cliched proposals by taking her to the most romantic place on earth and proposing to her there. But when I saw her cry alone, mourning for her mother, I knew there was no better time to ask this than now. Whether or not I'll be there to share her happiness, I needed her to know that I'll always be there to share her pain. And I finally asked the question I wanted to ask for years.

"Yes," she answered with joyous tears flowing down her cheeks.

-:-:-

She should be nervous as hell on this special day. But she isn't. She's innocently happy. Her heart was filled with joy and ecstasy. She smiled with tears in her eyes as she walked towards the man she loved in her white, wedding gown.

It felt like a daze when she was finally saying the words, "I do."

Neither the claps or the wolfish hoots reached her ears as they kissed for the first time as husband and wife.

Years ago, there was no bound to the wonder everyone showed when she announced that she was his girlfriend. They thought she officially lost it. They thought she caved into an abusive relationship. They warned her that he would someday hurt her, not only verbally, but also, God forbid, physically.

Her father often wondered. Is this Riven guy going to keep Musa happy? Is he really going to keep her safe? Did he love her enough?

But today, those same mouths clamped shut as they all heard the vows that he recited and professed the love he had for her in his heart. It was like hearing him propose to her an infinite number of times. It was unmistakably obvious as he hugged her to his chest before gazing at her like she was pricelessly beautiful in his eyes. They all watched in wonder as they watched Riven, known for his hard exterior, shed a tear. Unlike any other time, he let the tear dry on his cheek as he held the love of his life in his arms.

The two smiled at each other. They may have gone through a rocky relationship, but neither never really doubted the chance that someday...they might just last and turn forever into a possibility that's certain.

-:-:-

"Riven," Musa's eyes flooded with tears as she held the phone tightly in her hands.

Riven stood up from his seat in concern when he heard his wife's voice stain with tears. "Muse? Are you okay?" he asked. He hated to see or hear her cry. She was sensitive though she tries to hide it. She was also at her most vulnerable position whenever she cried.

"Can you come home?" she whispered.

He remained silent for a moment, wondering if he could just pack up and leave work early.

"Please?" she asked, her voice remaining hopeful, yet vulnerable.

At the sound of her pleading voice, he packed his things without further hesitation. "I'm on my way," he told her firmly. Within thirty minutes, he found himself marching up the stairs just as the door open, revealing a crying Musa. Before he could ask why, he grunted, nearly falling backward, as she pounced on him and enveloped him in a hug. He pushed the door open with his foot and went inside for some privacy. He frowned harder when he heard muffled sniffles.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a glare, wondering if someone said anything to her. Oh, they'll flipping pay.

"I'm happy," she sniffled.

He raised an eyebrow before holding her at arm's length. He blinked in confusion. "Uh… don't people do the opposite when they're happy?" he raised an eyebrow before his thumbs wiped her tears away with one swipe.

"What happened—" Riven started before staggering a step backward in surprise when she shoved a stick into his face.

"The hell is this?" he grumbled as he took it from before flipping it over. "You told me to come home for this stick—" he ranted before suddenly letting his eyes fall over the two blue ones that are visible in the small digital screen in front of him. It wasn't a stick. It was a pregnancy test.

With wide eyes, he looked up at her with shock before standing. "Are you serious?" he asked, pulling her into his arms.

Musa nodded with happy tears in her eyes.

Riven blinked in disbelief before staring at the white and blue stick once again. Pregnant. That means a child…

He's going to be a parent. A father. "I'm going to be a father," he whispered before a few tears touched his eyes.

"Uh… don't people do the opposite when they're happy?" Musa teased, a huge grin forming on her face. He chuckled, not even bothering to hide his tears or happiness. His chuckles turned into joyous laughs as he hugged her tightly.

-:-:-

"What did you say to her?" he growled as he approached the boy in front of him. "I dare you to say it again," he challenged calmly but with rage in his eyes while the young pre-teen looked like he's about to cry.

"MOOOMMM!" the child cried while making a dash for it.

Riven scoffed in victory, feeling no pity for the kid. He looked down and saw that his young daughter had wrapped her little arms around his calf. His anger instantly faded away as he smiled brightly for her. She was the spitting image of both him and Musa. With a unique shade of dark red hair and bright dark-blue eyes, she was going to be a real heartbreaker when she grows up.

Of course, she's not dating till she's eighty…but that's a story for another day, he chuckled to himself before ruffling her hair. "Hey, princess," he smiled before picking her up in his arms. "See? He won't bully you anymore."

The five-year-old smiled brightly and laughed into his neck. Her laugh was contagious, and it honestly made his day. "That's my girl," he chimed in pride before kissing his forehead. "Any other baddies? C'mon, let's go teach 'em all a lesson to never mess with you again," he smirked, making her laugh again. Her deep red hair bounced as she giggled and shook her head.

"Home to mommy?" he asked, relieved.

"Mommyyy!" she chimed in delight, making him laugh, as they left the school premises.

Thirty minutes later, their household bloomed with liveliness. Musa bent down and picked up her daughter with a laugh. "Hey, baby!" she gushed before kissing her forehead.

"Mommy! Daddy almost beat up Todd!" the little girl tattle-taled instantly, making Riven facepalm sheepishly and Musa raise an eyebrow in amusement.

"That was supposed to be between us, remember?" he chided his daughter softly. "Now, off you go. Take a shower," he told her with authority. The girl nodded obediently before Musa set her down.

"You did what now?" Musa asked after her daughter ran out of earshot. "Did you really scare a kid?"

"Yes. I'll scare anyone who harasses our daughter. And you," he told her, not in the least bit feeling apologetic. He walked to her before kissing her forehead and informing her that he'll go for a shower as well.

She let out the soft smile she's been suppressing. Their marriage had been nothing short of bliss. They still bickered here and there, but that's what kept their relationship growing. They weren't fights. They were playful banters that just have to happen at least a few times a day.

When she told him she was pregnant, it's like his world changed all of a sudden as he took up the responsibility as the man of the house.

He grew up alone and was deprived of any love, comfort, and affection in his life. He won't let that happen to his own child. He knew the pain he felt, and his child will not feel even a breath of his pain's shadow. He became their protector and their source of strength with fierce will and determination in his life.

And for that...she couldn't help but crack a smile at the direction he just left to.

-:-:-

Her hand rested against her heart as another gripped the mike tightly. Her head tilted upwards as her voice rose gracefully as she hit the final notes. The crowd went wild as she finished the song and cheered her name in ecstasy.

Musa slowly opened her eyes and watched her audience scream her name in excitement. Her eyes lit up with a tearful smile on her face at her new song's reception. This was what she worked for her entire life. Despite making a sensational career out of her voice, seeing people enjoy her songs never got old. To her, a song meant much more than just lyrics and words simply thrown together. It held the power to motivate, inspire, and comfort. The power to truly touch people's hearts.

What could be anything greater than that?

With joy shining in her eyes, she smiled a teary smile at everyone in the audience before waving to them. "Thank you!" she shouted into the mike as the crowd chanted her name.

Her eyes soon traveled to two of the most important people in her life. A tear slid down her cheek in true happiness as her husband smiled at her proudly, holding their six-year-old daughter in his arms, who gleefully screamed in excitement. Musa watched Riven laugh with their daughter, kissing her cheek with a big smile on his face.

While her songs inspired millions, her inspiration came from these two. Her sources of pride and joy. And no matter how high up her singing career soar, she owed every bit of her success to these two.

-:-:-

***In the Christmas drabble, the lyrics aren't mine. Riven sings the same song for Musa in season 5 and they end up singing a duet by the end of the episode.

Thank you SO much for reading! I have to admit. It was harder than I thought to write for this couple. So, all M/R experienced readers, reviewers, and authors…please go a little easy on me? :p *nervously giggles* x.x

Thank you for reading/reviewing! :)