empatheias | in this closed off world

Who: Riku and Arden
Where: KH Clubhouse
When: First couple days of the month
Format: [ like this ]
Closed
Summary: Riku comes back around the KH Clubhouse only to find a certain someone isn't how he left them.

[ He said he wouldn't disappear again and, already, he seems to have broken that so-called promise.

To be fair, he hadn't exactly expected to be told what he had been and for emotions to so quickly push their way to the surface that he felt it best to remove himself from the moment. Thus, he's been hanging around Cloud's place for the past little while, simply needing to clear his head, let alone his emotions, and just allow himself some time to adjust since there seems to be so much he still needs to.

Being away from Sora, however, is a difficult thing even for him to do in his current mood and it's why he's finally decided to come around the place that he's to call "home" while being within this world. Well, it's what Sora considers for him, Riku doesn't exactly feel like it is, especially with those he lives with there. But, he's kept to himself while he's been there and so he figures his absence within the house won't really be noticed.

Unless your name is Sora, that is.

It's a little later in the day when Riku finally steps inside the house, wearing something that he's clearly borrowed from Cloud while still donning the blindfold as always. It's Sora that he needs to see, needs to apologize to (again), and so he makes his way throughout the house, wondering if he's even around. He better be since he has this stuffed plush to give to him as a means of saying he's sorry and Sora's always a sucker for things like this. ]

Sora?

[ But when he does find the other, it leaves Riku stunned, standing there with eyes wide ~~not like you'd be able to see~~ as he drops the plush to the floor. Sora is... crystallized... sleeping? and it has him feel a painful sort of deja-vu all over again that he doesn't even notice how the colour visibly bleeds away from around him, leaving everything in a wash of gray. ]

Sora!

[ If the colour draining from around him isn't enough, maybe the sudden trembling of the house might be. ]

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[ It's a start. That's all he wanted. He's fine like this, for a little while longer. Eventually Castor may find him and beg for some food, but other than that, fresh off the realization about Sora... Riku's pretty much his top priority now.

So Arden's expression shifts to a small smile. Even if Riku ultimately wants to leave the house, he's talking about it. That's all he and Sora can ask of Riku after all. ]

Maybe a little crowded. It's easier on me cooking food, but as for privacy... I guess I can see that, even if it doesn't feel that way for me. Roxas and Sora and I are barely around at the same time, except planned events like Friday Nights. That's why it's nice to go to the roof or out back or somewhere else in Verens sometimes.

[ The roof is a place he can see being sought after by a couple people in this household and in all honesty, he can't blame them. The mention of Roxas, however, has Riku's thoughts drift to the blond and how he's more or less staying out of his way around here; they both have their own reasons for not exactly getting along after all. ]

He's happy here.

[ Something Riku had mentioned before, even if it had been through a moment of lashing out but it's still something that he finds to be true. ]

Even if he is being a slacker all over again for the moment. [ And he gives a slight huff under his breath as he refers to Sora "snoozing" again. ] But he's happy. He doesn't have to worry about everything back home. He can just... be happy here.

[ And that's what's important, isn't it? What he's wanted for his best friend to have? What he's been trying so hard to give back to him as a means to make up for everything wrong that he's done. So with him being here, he feels... out of place, like he shouldn't be here, shouldn't impede on Sora's happiness that he's made for himself here.

Because he's not so sure he can offer him much in return. Just... look at him. ]

[ He knows he has to tread carefully here, but if Riku's talking about it... then maybe... He purses his lips, thinking, and puts his knee down so that he's in a cross-legged position and Riku can clearly see his body language in all its complexity, if he can see through that blindfold. It sure seems like he can. Arden puts both of his hands on his ankles and forces his shoulders down, losing the tension there. ]

You may not believe me if I tell you this, but... yeah, he's happy. He's happier lately... because you're here.

[ His brows furrow, as if willing Riku to understand. ]

Get it? You have no basis for comparison. You're just going off how he's acted since you got here.

[ Does he believe Arden? It's hard to say. With everything that's happened in the span of almost a year, with how much he's given up, how much he's simply stopped caring (look at his hair), it's difficult to see past his own self-loathing, his guilt, regret, the shame that he carries with him everywhere he goes. He's trying to make up for it... he is, he's telling himself that he is with everything that he's doing but it's just... so hard, so difficult to see any sort of light for himself... and the light can't help him right now, that's why he blinds himself to it.

So of course believing any of this is a hard pill to swallow and Arden is certainly not the last who will try to make him believe.

A certain conversation with Sora prior to his being crystallized rings through his thoughts and it has him wanting to disbelieve Arden's words; insecurities are so dangerous for the mind at times. ]

Maybe it's all I need.

[ Maybe it's all he wants to know.

A shake of his head, he gives a heavy sigh, clearing his throat again. it's definitely a lot easier to breathe now and it doesn't feel like anything is injured on the inside. ]

Are you going to claim I owe you now?

[ For having helped him during this... episode. ]

[ He won't say any more on that topic. He's content to be sure that Riku can breathe at all now. The rest is between Sora and Riku. He made an attempt, and it won't be settled before Sora wakes up, probably. So part of him tries to figure out how to offer soup for the chill and for the scratchy throat when Riku shifts topics again.

And Arden balks at that, chuckling a little in disbelief. ]

What? No.

[ He shakes his head for emphasis. ]

No, there's no way I want to sit here and tally who owes who what.

[ He's pretty sure he'd end up in the red regardless. Plus, rehashing all the crap he's done, accidentally or intentionally, on his road to getting knighted by Minnie? To Riku? No thanks, not today. ]

I just know what the scar on my shoulder looks like and didn't want that to be your throat next. It's one of the reasons it's better that I live around other people I trust. That and the passing out.

[ He inclines his head upstairs to Sora. ]

I don't mean the crystalizing, but that too.

[ Fair enough. It's not as though he's looking to keep score between them either.

Coming to shift then, Riku places his palm flat against the wall and uses it to brace himself as he attempts to push himself up to his feet. No sense in sitting around here all day after all, right? Plus, he's not coughing up shards of ice anymore... though he has to wonder if that's something that might happen again as he's felt cold on the inside ever since his conversation with Sora.

Managing to keep his balance, he sighs slowly, breathing being easier now but still feeling a little apprehensive with each breath, as if he might feel phantom pain from the shards of ice moments ago. So far so good. ]

Well, I'm sure they're glad to have you around then.

[ He rises after Riku does, keeping his distance, but looks curious at Riku's comment. ]

Uhm, the passing out is only something that happens to me, actually.

[ Unless Riku has a similar problem now but Arden seriously doubts that. He was just looking to clarify that. ]

Do you want any more soup?

[ One last shot for the moon as he heads towards the kitchen. But he also doesn't add anything to the question. A yes or no will suffice. On the other hand, he did say 'more', and that may get under Riku's skin too. He didn't say that part intentionally, though. ]

I meant they must be glad to have someone who cares around and who knows what to do.

[ Such as how he knew how to handle the shards of ice he had been coughing up. Why he feels the need to almost... reassure Arden of his place here is... he doesn't know. But he's said it so, there it is.

The question regarding soup has Riku pause and he touches at his chest with the tips of his fingers; he can still feel a gentle beating chill inside. ]

No. [ Is Arden surprised? ] I should go.

[ He's not surprised. Maybe one day he'll get a Yes. But he nods, feeling more convinced that Riku's going to be able to reign in what's plaguing him for a few days at least.

Especially since... he's pretty sure that Riku just complimented him? Without sarcasm? If that's not progress, he's not sure what is. ]

Uh, thanks. I'll see you around then.

[ Hopefully. ]

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