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The world had never been kind to Riff, ever since he could remember he had to fight for himself. Sometimes he would have to hide, too, like when he was a kid and his old man would have too much to drink and then come home only to have a yelling match with his mother. Riff would hide, then, making his way into his bedroom as silently as possible, close the door and cover his ears, pretending everything was fine, pretending he didn’t hear a thing.
Riff was five when he met you, a girl that moved to the apartment next to theirs. He was very happy, a new friend to play with, but more than that, with time you became his safe haven. Whenever things got bad at home, he’d still go to his room, but not to just sit and pretend anymore, he’d go out the window into the fire escape and he’d knock at your window, even though it was usually left open, and then come in and you would greet him with a smile and talk and read him stories, you always knew just how to make him feel better, every single time. When his parents couldn’t bother to send him to school you’d sit with him and teach him everything you had learned that day and that meant the world to him.
As he grew up and became a Jet things changed slightly, he wasn’t around as often, he could take care of himself now, his old man wasn’t around anymore and he had his boys to rely on. He’d still come and see you, sometimes just for the sake of seeing you but other times… it was obvious there was more to it, he’d never tell you, though, “Jet business,” he’d say, “nothing that pretty little head of yours needs to worry about.”
Riff had had a day and so, he made his way up the fire escape, stopping at your window, very silently, he watched as you sat on your carpet, back turned to him, leaning on your bed while you read a book. He smiled to himself, it was just so… you.
“You should really start locking your window, you know? Any creep could come in,” he said, stepping inside the room.
You turned to look at him, just a little bit startled, then smiled, teasing, “there’s a creep in here already.”
“Very funny.”
You just laughed and he smiled at the sound, a small one, but it was definitely there. He took a seat beside you on the carpet, “reading again? Shouldn’t you be watching I Love Lucy or something?”
“As much as I like I Love Lucy I think I’d rather read today.”
He looked like he had gotten out of a fight just now, you noticed, no major bruises or cuts but you could tell by how there was dust sticking to his clothes and skin despite the fact that he probably tried to get clean as best as he could before going to see you.
“Don’t you ever get bored of it? I feel like you’re reading a new book every time I see you,” he said.
“Every book is different, there’s no real reason to be bored of them. Besides you seemed to like it when I read you Pride and Prejudice that one time,” you teased lightly, reaching for his temple and wiping some dust away with your thumb.
“Hey, that was one interesting story,” he huffed, swatting your hand away, “what are you reading now, anyway?”
“It’s a book called East of Eden, I think you’d like it. Want me to read it to you?”
“But you’ve already started reading.”
“So?”
“I don’t want to get in the way of your reading, I already showed up uninvited.”
“I don’t mind starting over for you.”
He paused at that, his heart doing a stupid thing in his chest and his voice coming out so softly that it sounded weird in his own ears, “okay.”
You smiled, opening the book, going back to the first page and starting to read out loud. Riff paid attention, he always did when you read to him, stopping here and there to make commentary. It was familiar, it was comforting
and as your voice went on and on telling the story he felt more and more at peace.
He wasn’t sure how long you both had sat there when you finally stopped reading.
“So, what do you think?” You asked.
Riff paused for a second to think, “I don’t like that Adam guy.”
“So you’re more of a Charles guy, then?” You asked, a huff of a laugh escaping you.
“I think so,” Riff paused again, “I get the ‘fighting for those you care for’ thing.”
“The Jet thing,” you said, not a question.
He nodded, “the Jet thing.”
A silence falls between you but it’s not awkward, just a little heavy, you’ve had this talk before, most times it didn’t end well.
“You don’t always have to fight,” you said softly.
“You know I do,” is all he says, and you didn’t argue, you knew better than to do that at this point, he’d never listen.
A lot is left unsaid as the silence engulfs you again and you’re not sure how long it lasts before you hear a loud whistle coming from outside. Riff knows it well, you do too.
“I gotta go,” he said.
You turned to look at him, “do you really have to?”
Riff smiled at that, the look on your face pulling at his heart strings. He lifted one hand to your cheek, his touch so gentle it might as well not have even been there, then he leaned in, placing a soft kiss on your forehead before pulling away and giving you his signature smirk and standing up.
“Be careful,” you said.
“Always am.”
You rolled your eyes at his words, knowing they were anything but true.
Riff made his way to your window but stopped with a foot on the windowsill and turned back to you, “there’s a dance at the gym tomorrow night, you wanna go?”
You smiled, nodding, “yes!”
He smiled too, a genuine one this time, “then I’ll see you tomorrow, girly girl.”
And with that he went out the window and you followed, watching him go. On the street you saw Ice standing there waiting for Riff, the source of the whistle you had heard before. You waved, he gave you a playful salute.
When Riff made it back down the firescape Ice went to him immediately, they seemed to discuss something quickly before they started making their way down the street.
Riff didn’t look back, he hated leaving after visiting you and you watched them go until they turned a corner and went out of sight.
You sat on your bed, placing the copy of East of Eden on your nightstand, you’d save it to read again the next time Riff stopped by. You felt sad that he left so soon and you worried for his wellbeing, like always, but at least this time he left with a promise.
You’d see him tomorrow.