Author's Note: Disclaimer: I own nothing. The songs belong to the artists that I mentioned above.
This idea came when I was listening to my music. My father had told me that my wedding song was going to be "I Loved Her First". True, I am only thirteen and not even thinking of marriage, but the song touched me, and I knew that no matter what happened that song was perfect. And then when I heard Hanging By A Moment I also knew that if I combined both songs, it'd be a beautiful one-shot. So here it is. A one-shot that is fluff and angst.
I Loved Him First
The news came to him like a rock would hit a glass window. It didn't seem as bad at first, but when you inspected it, you saw all of the shards of glass laying there helplessly. Sure, it could be fixed, but the shards would never fit exactly the way they were. The pieces were broken. True, you could always buy a new window.. but it was never the same. It was different. And different wasn't what Riku wanted. Not now.
It was about five years after their return back to the island. Everything was peaceful, the way life on an island should be. Relaxing, and perfect. He stayed best friends with the brunette and red-head, continuing to do everything with the two. However, what he had expected for years began. Sora started seeing Kairi in a different light. In a romantic light.
It didn't bother him at first. He knew the day would come where they would go off together. It had been set in stone since the day Kairi came. Of course it didn't bother him! It wasn't like he was losing his two best friend's for life. They were just dating. Harmless dating. Nothing harmless could hurt someone, right?
Well, that was completely the opposite. Harmless proved to be the worst kind of danger out there. So called 'harmless' dating soon turned into an engagement. And that news had caused the silver-haired male to literally to perform a double-take. Had he heard Sora and Kairi right? Had they said they were getting married? Marriage?
How could something so harmless hurt so much? Of course, he hadn't realized how much hurt it was causing his already bruised heart until he went back home that very same day and sat there. He hadn't realize until then how deep of a connection he had to him. Not Kairi, but to Sora. It wasn't until then when he realized something. Something very important.
He loved him first….
"I can't believe this day is finally here." Her face was colored with a bright red, complimenting her hair. Clothed in the typical, yet perfectly elegant white wedding gown and white-heeled shoes and a quite fancy veil was the girl he had known such adolescence. From her feet to her head was gorgeous. Of course, not the gorgeous he expected from Kairi. Kairi had never been 'beautiful' in his eye. That was Sora's job to think that, but he never knew the other had meant it until that devastating night a few months prior.
"You nervous?" Came his simple response as his silver hair graced his shoulders. Emerald eyes watched her reflection in the mirror, looking for any kind of emotion change. However, she kept that cheerful smile as she attempted to put on a silver necklace, just smiling back at him from the mirror.
"Yeah, I am." She admitted and then turned around in the chair to face down the suited male. Her friend for so many years. "But I'm glad you're here with us. It just makes this so much… better. Thank you, Riku." She spoke, with a large smile, trying to fight off the tears of joy she had.
Everyone said you cried on your wedding day. Cried from the joy you had in your heart. But right now he wanted to cry and it wasn't even his wedding, and it wasn't from joy. It was from this inner-hurt, this heart ache, this strong feeling to not want them together. But he couldn't do that to them.
The strange thing was that he never told Sora. He assumed it would only prove problems between the trio, and possibly halt the wedding. And he didn't want that. Not after that completely perfect smile Sora had given him when he told him they were getting married. That hug he gave his best friend. It was filled with so much joy. The brunette had finally found happiness after so many years and what bothered Riku was that it wasn't joy he had given Sora. No, it was because of Kairi.
"You're really lucky to have someone like him." He answered, emerald hues threatening to cloud with further with fought-back tears. But he wouldn't cry on Kairi's wedding day for things that he was afraid to show. No, this was Kairi and Sora's day.
"Yeah.. and I'm glad that we both have you." She answered with another smile, finally snapping the necklace into place before arising to her feet.
She had grown taller over the past years. Her shape, her figure, and even her hair. It was now down to her waist, but still as beautiful as it always had been. Looking at Riku for a moment with her blue eyes, she extended an arm, with that childish look upon her face, regardless of the first adult-decision she was making of her life. She was marrying Sora, and he couldn't stop her.
"Shall we?" She spoke, with that Kairi-like giggle.
He nodded in response, gently hooking her arm within his as they exited the room. Kairi had lost her parents when she was young, and thought that at her wedding day she wouldn't have anyone to walk her down the isle. But she was wrong. She had Riku, who was also serving as Sora's best man along with Selphie as the maid of honor. Everything was so perfect.
As they walked in unison, down the rose-petal lined walkway leading to the outside wedding area, his eyes darted to her. She was filled with so much joy. So much love towards the other. Something he painfully had to admit he could never give Sora. He'd never be able to tell the other how he felt. And he probably knew that Sora didn't feel the same.
As they made their way to the beginning of the 'isle', Kairi gave a nervous, but joy-filled look at the other. He gave a nod as he lead her down the isle, with the others attending standing, whilst music played in the background.
And then he saw him. Standing right there at the alter, eyes filled with a complete grin from ear-to-ear as he starred at his veiled fiancé. Riku moved his eyes away from his friend for the time being. Things would never change between the three. Not now, and not ever.
Once at the end of the isle, Kairi turned to Riku, waiting for him to lift the veil. Raising his strong, and yet gentle hands into the air, he lifted the veil above her, letting it fall down before he gave her a smile. She giggled nervously, too soft for anyone besides the two to hear.
And that was when he knew it.
This was the last time he'd ever be able to look at Kairi without feeling regret for not telling Sora how he felt. And if he was going to be faced with that feeling, then he might as well make it worth his while.
Gently, he parted his lips, letting a single tear fall down his cheek, probably non-existence to the audience. Kairi starred in concern, still smiling, until he gently whispered into the wind.
"Be good to him… because I loved him first…"