[More than just something has been lost...Riku is on the third chapter while Roxas hasn't even read the prologue. Hell he doesn't even know what a book is, forget reading. The analogy spins itself out of control in the fraction of a second for it takes for it to sink in that somehow, despite Roxas having been himself for this long, this...particular aspect of existing hasn't actually been explained to him.

On one hand, he can't help but think that Lea is going to kill him if he finds out about this. On the other...man it's not his fault nobody bothered to explain it to him. It's less surprising that it never came up and more that it didn't...he doesn't know, seem like an appropriate thing he should at least be aware of? So situations exactly like this one don't end up happening, maybe?

Possibly the most shocking thing of all is how this revelation was somehow not enough to kill his boner.]

Uh...okay.

[Just, okay. He can tell Roxas genuinely doesn't understand, which means he absolutely cannot do anything else for the time being. He'll just have to keep pouting for a moment as Riku sits on his heels, closing his eyes for a moment as he wills himself to find the strength to have a conversation he's never actually prepared himself for. He didn't think he'd have to.]

Yes. When we...our lips touch like that. It's called a kiss. It's what people who like each other a lot do.

[It's a shame that Riku doesn't go so far as to say "love", since that is a word Roxas knows. Even if at-the-time Axel wasn't able to give a very good explanation, if it could be considered one at all.]

Which...I do. I wouldn't have if I didn't.

[...]

And it's not just...in the same way you like a friend. It's different.