[ Riku recalls the day in the kitchen when he had turned away from Arden and Arden had called him by his name... just as he had done earlier with Sora here. It's strange to hear him say his name and it tends to cause something within Riku to stir, though he isn't all too sure what that is, just that it's something and it tends to cause him to pause in the moment.

Arden is willing to give him a chance, to try, as it were, and the fact that he plans to keep Sora out of whatever it is between them is something that he can... respect. With everything that Sora's been through... and what he's currently going through with snoozing in this crystallized state... he doesn't really need to put up with them trying to force a wedge between him and how he feels concerning the both of them, it wouldn't be fair to Sora.

However, there are still certain... reservations that Riku has concerning Arden despite his having been willing to give him a chance even with his own hang ups or concerns about the two of them here in this house and what that could very well mean for the both of them.

And it's why he still stands there, staring to Sora, teeth dragging over his lower lip. ]

I'm not whatever version of me you might have been used to. [ He finally decides to say then. ] I don't really deserve much. That includes you trying to give me a chance.