Riven had always been there, just never close enough to matter. Same classes, same halls, the kind of familiar face you didn’t think twice about. You’d talked before, small things, passing comments, the occasional shared joke, but nothing that stuck. He was quiet in a way that made people assume he didn’t care, a little sharp when he did speak, and distant enough that no one pushed past it. You didn’t either. He was just… Riven.

It took you longer than it should have to notice something was off.

At first, it was easy to misread. He’d respond a second too late, or not at all. Sometimes you’d say something and he’d just look at you, like he was waiting for more, even when you’d already finished. Other times he’d answer something you hadn’t asked, or miss the point entirely. It didn’t happen constantly, just enough to feel like a pattern once you started paying attention.

Most people didn’t.

They assumed he was ignoring them. Being difficult. Typical Riven.

You started noticing the way he watched instead of listened. The way his eyes flicked to people’s mouths when they spoke. The way he angled himself slightly, always favoring one side without seeming aware of it. And once you saw it, you couldn’t unsee it.

You didn’t say anything.

Instead, you adjusted.

At first, it was small. You made sure he was looking at you before you spoke. Slowed down without making it obvious. Repeated things casually when he missed them, like it was for your own clarity instead of his. If he answered wrong, you didn’t correct him outright, you just restated it, giving him another chance to catch it.

He noticed.

Not immediately, but enough.

Riven started lingering near you more often, like he’d realized something had shifted and didn’t quite know why. Where he used to drift wherever he wanted, now he ended up beside you more often than not. Not close enough to draw attention, but close enough that it mattered. You started choosing your position without thinking, always on the side he seemed to hear better from.

If you moved, he followed. Subtle. Unspoken.

It became easier, over time.

You tapped lightly against the desk instead of calling his name. Waited until he was looking at you before speaking. If something was important, you made sure your words were clear, your voice steady. You didn’t exaggerate it. Didn’t make it obvious. Just enough that he didn’t have to work as hard to keep up.

He never asked why.

And you never pointed it out.

It stayed between you in that quiet, unspoken way,,something built out of small habits instead of conversations. No one else noticed. To them, Riven was the same as always: distant, sharp, hard to read. But you saw the way his attention stayed on you longer than necessary. The way he picked up on your cues without realizing it. The way things seemed… easier when you were around.