"Y--you? Need me?" A harsh, disbelieving laugh comes from his lips before he can stop it; he tries to calm himself down, biting his lower lip, staying still. Lea's revelation makes him quake in his hands.

He needed him? Since when? Riku had always known Lea to march to his own drum; Riku could certainly hassle him to do something, but it was always up to Lea if he would do it. He had the propensity to lead because he'd always been entrusted with the reins, so he assumed he had to. Lea needed him... and didn't want to wait for him to point them the way they should go?

His heart was beating way too fast, and his face was too hot.

"If--if you can lead, tell me what to say," he finally said, voice hushed. "'cause I don't have a clue." Riku'd needed Lea for a while; and although Riku never said it outright, he knew Lea knew. There was no way he didn't. Despite his brashness and bruised pride, Riku fell apart easily at the seams. One cough could mean a choke or a week-long fever.

"I need you too? But you already knew that. 'Thanks'? Sounds... cheap?"