empatheias | open-ish

Who: Riku and others
Where: Around Verens
When: Middle of the month
Format: [ like this ]
open-ish
Summary: Just a gloomy gus needing some fresh air. Closed prompts will be top-leveled, open prompts free to anyone.

( TREE OF MEMORIES )
[ This place isn't anywhere that Riku has been before, though he's heard of it, somewhat. It's basically a tree that holds petals of memories from all those who come near it... or who inhabit the island... one of the two? Maybe both? Regardless, he's here, feeling the need to just get out and away from everything and everyone and he's made sure to keep himself relatively bundled up lest he end up sick again.

When a breeze gently drifts by, crisp and cool and allowing strands of silver to blow around his face, Riku catches sight of a drifting petal that falls from the tree and, perhaps without even realizing so, he holds his hand out and allows the petal to land in his palm.

The memory that it contains is one that seems almost ironic considering current circumstances of people within his life. It's distorted, perhaps a bit scratchy in a way, but it shows a sleeping Sora encased in what looks like a bubble. Standing outside that bubble and staring to the sleeping Sora is Riku, dressed in black and donning the blindfold much as he still does within this world. Off to the side, Naminé is there, sitting at a long table and seemingly sketching in a book, though she doesn't seem to address Riku within the memory. Gently, he reaches out with a gloved hand and presses it to the front of the bubble and the strongest emotion that can be felt even with watching this memory unfold... is grief.

It figures this memory would show itself now of all times and, to be honest, he almost finds it funny, as if a silent punishment personally dished out for him. Well-played, Tree of Memories.

Riku, of course, tries to brush off the memory and any feelings that might be attached to it. Though one can't exactly deny that the air around him seems a lot more chillier than anywhere else near the tree. ]

( IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING )
[ What had started out as something that should have taken maybe ten minutes at most has turned into a good thirty minutes standing outside the tea shop in the pouring rain.

The weather hasn't been the greatest as of late and yet Riku thought he could pick up this box of tea for Cloud and be out of here before it started to come down like it is now. How wrong he apparently was. Thankfully, he's standing under the awning of the shop, arms crossed, blindfold on, finger tapping against the box of tea he holds. The rain doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon and the shop has closed, leaving Riku out here in the damp without an umbrella. He sighs, head lolling to the side as he shifts his weight to one leg, contemplating the thought of just sucking it up and walking back to Cloud's in this weather. ]

It's never going to stop...

[ Maybe you're stuck under here with him. Maybe you're passing by. Maybe you have an umbrella to lend to him. Or maybe you're out enjoying the rain. Whatever the case, Riku's not looking too happy... and the frost that's come to coat the tips of his shoes is a little bit of a hint to that. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I never did say.

[There’s a touch of amusement in his tone.]

But I might go around to try and find a job. [Or check out that taskboard. Maybe something there will pique his interest.]

Probably a good idea.

[ Riku had been in the process of finding one himself and while it seems he may have secured one for himself... he's not going to tell Ven that. Or anyone for that matter. Ever. ]

Arden works for Snow White at a bakery. Maybe you can get a job there if you want.

[ Since, well, Ven lives with Snow White... ]

Maybe, but I feel a bit bad? She’s alteady been kind to me, and I wanna try to see what other jobs there are first.

[Gotta keep his options open, after all.]

Have you found a job yet?

[ Riku gives a glance over to Ven out of the corner of his eye at that question but, thankfully, blindfold and all. ]

I'm working on it.

[ Yeah... working on it. ]

So the taskboard is where you want to go or just look around the market?

[Working on it. Right.]

The task board.

Task board it is then.

[ And so Riku leads the way for them with hands stuffed in his pockets and his gaze turned downwards. ]

[He follows easily, staring ahead before he looks at Riku.

Another push.]

Stop looking down.

[ What is it with all this pushing? ]

Where else am I supposed to look?

Up. Ahead.

[Ven cocks his head to the side.]

Around. [He can keep this up, Riku. He really can.] Anywhere but down.

I've tried looking ahead.

[ It's where he thought he was headed... where he thought he could walk towards. But, given recent things both here and back within their world... he's not so sure anymore. ]

Doesn't seem like it's meant for me.

That's because you're looking ahead with a destination in mind.

[With a goal.

So, Ven takes a few steps before he's ahead of Riku, turning and walking backwards.]

Close your eyes and just walk. If looking ahead is painful, then close your eyes. And then open them. See what's ahead of you with a clear mind. For once, don't think so hard.

[ Riku's steps come to slow a little but he doesn't yet stop, simply watching the way in which Ven walks backwards ahead of him.

He's a bit of a strange one, isn't he? ]

Why do you think I wear this blindfold?

To dim out the light. To hide behind it.

[He shrugs.]

A lot of reasons come to mind, but even in the dark, you can still see something.

[ Riku's about to say something in regards to that but he notices a sign post that Ven is about to walk backwards into and, without thinking twice, he reaches out and grabs at his arm, pulling him off to the side. Taking a moment then, he looks down to the blond. ]

Just because my eyes are turned down, doesn't mean I can't see. I walk through the darkness like you would walk through the light.

[ Gently, he lets his fingers slip away from Ven's arm. ]

It doesn't bother me.

[He lets himself be pulled, head turning back enough to see the sign. Then he looks back at Riku.]

When have I ever said "couldn't" see? [Seriously, when did he ever say that?

But then--] Does my light bother you?

No.

[ Softly spoken, he continues walking then. ]

It just reminds me of what I lack.

......

[Ven reaches out, fingers grabbing hold of his shirt just before he manages to walk completely pass by him.]

Let me ask you something.

[ Coming to stop when his shirt is grabbed, Riku glances down to Ven, curiosity within his eyes despite their being covered. ]

Ask me what?

When you think about Sora, what do you imagine?

[He tightens his grip on him just in case.]

[ Well, he can't say he expected to be asked that of all things...

Riku falls silent as he stares to Ven through his blindfold, gaze dropping to those fingers which hold tight to his shirt. ]

A sap who cries too much.

What else?

[His gaze remains steadfast, as if he could see past that blindfold.]

You want a list or something?

[ A sigh, he glances away from Ven, staring off into the distance. ]

The sun. Sandy beaches. Ripe strawberries with juice dripping down fingers. Someone lovable. Someone needed. Light.

Needed, but what do you think the light needs?

[Even if Riku isn't looking, he still looks at him.]

Someone to even him out. Someone to make sure he will always come back in case that light gets lost. Who better than someone who already knows the darkness to make sure that another darkness doesn't swallow that light up?

[ Riku's silent as Ven speaks and continues to stare off to the distance. He hears him, he does. But there's just that nagging voice, that recollection of a conversation he had with Sora and it causes him to slowly shake his head. ]

He doesn't need me for that here.

[ A beat. ]

He has someone else that can do that.

It doesn't matter.

[....The odd note of vehemence should be noteworthy.]

You're his best friend. You always will be. Stop saying that he has someone else because no one is replaceable to him. Don't give up on yourself because no matter what you do, Sora isn't giving up on you. You should know that.

[Ven finally pulls his hand away, allowing it to drop by his side.]

Even now, he trusts you. I trust you. I wouldn't have left something precious to me with you if I didn't.

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