empatheias | open-ish

Entry tags:

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. ]

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[ Riku feels... tired as they go. But, despite the exhaustion, he listens to what Arden says- really listens this time, even if his eyes want nothing more than to shut themselves behind that blindfold of his. ]

Not going to tell me fashion is a work-in-progress skill of yours, are you? I've seen that apron.

[ The Sweetie Pies?? apron he initially first met Arden wearing in the kitchen. Which... Riku is clearly trying to offer a lighthearted joke with that remark, feeling that perhaps the moment could use it what with how emotionally draining everything else had been moments ago.

Just look at him now having to lean against Arden as they go. ]

[ He gives Riku a look for that remark. ]

No I'm just as much a disaster in that department as you are and not trying to improve it either.

[ There, some shade back. ]

Snow White designed the apron and she runs the bakery. I'm the manager, part-time chef, and stocker.

[ ~~Listen Arden COOL KIDS WEAR BLINDFOLDS!!~~

There's silence that falls over them when Arden mentions the Princess of Heart and he comes to stare ahead as they go. He remembers Sora mentioning how Arden made pies or something... again, he hadn't really been listening much to how Arden was different here and instead so focused on the fact that he was here to begin with. ]

Can't say I've ever been there.

[ And he's not so sure he ever will go there. ]

[ Arden shrugs at that. ]

I'm not expecting you to swing by.

[ Riku of all people enjoying a bakery isn't something he'd expect, nor seeking out Arden's own workplace in order to keep up the space between them aside from moments like this. ]

More in case you ever need to find me and I'm not at the house, that's a good second place to look. After baking came cooking, and then some other things like ice cream.

[ He's purposefully vague here because the baking opportunities were for Sora and the ice-cream was with Sora's help for Roxas's benefit. ]

So now I make dinner most every night and snacks whenever anyone asks for it. It's hard not to enjoy something when other people appreciate it so much. Plus as for earning money... frankly it pays better over time than running after Task Board stuff, which was mostly more of me fighting anyway. And I was trying to avoid that early on.

[ Out of a pure contrarian drive to not be like Riku. ]

[ While perhaps he may not come to outright say just yet, Riku silently mulls over the fact that Arden has, quite honestly, made a life and forged a new identity for himself within this world. For as distraught and even annoyed as he had been to find that his replica was here (and even friends with Sora), he hadn't even entertained the idea of how his own arrival here must have made Arden feel... maybe as though everything he had worked hard to create for himself would all be for nothing, come to mean nothing, making him feel as though he were nothing.

Maybe that's how he would feel... maybe it's how he did... Riku isn't so sure and can only guess because that's how he would feel were the shoe on the other foot.

However, there's something that still lingers on his mind, something that he's been chewing his lower lip over until he finally decides to just say it. ]

You knew, didn't you?

[ Softly, he comes to pause in his words, looking to the ground as they go. ]

About Sora.

[ Sora and... his someone else. ]

[ Despite his best efforts at getting better at reading people, six words really didn't help him out in the least. It was only because they were several minutes into an extended conversation that he could pin down what 'About Sora' could possibly mean. He didn't think that Riku was accusing him of having a strong enough bond to know the instant Sora turned to crystal - he didn't - and he was sure that nothing in previous several sentences had given away that he'd made a ton of those early snacks for Sora. Specifically for him, as someone he'd... had a lot of complicated feelings about.

So yeah that really only left one topic they'd covered. ]

Yeah, I knew.

[ Three months now. ]

[ He doesn't... he can't be frustrated with Arden for that what with his only having been here for almost two months now while both Arden and Sora have been here for much much longer. It's more of his wanting to know for himself, given how "alike" they supposedly are as Arden seemed to claim earlier even if it had been in annoyance. It simply has Riku wondering if Arden felt the same sort of emotions that Riku felt upon learning such a thing... if he could understand that sort of... ache. ]

Can you take me to my room?

[ The one that's his at least what with living in the house with the others... even if he's not around there much as of late... which Arden may finally understand why. ]

[ He's glad he didn't say more - reveal or impose more feelings into an already heavy day. He wasn't even sure he wanted Riku to ever know about what had happened between him and Sora. It felt personal before, even when people like Usagi knew that something was there and then suddenly it wasn't anymore. Not it feels even more important to keep it to themselves.

And yet would it be any better for Riku to find out that he called Sora his best friend and Sora returned the sentiment? It took a lot out of Arden to say those words and mean them as Arden and hope that Sora felt them for Arden, not for the longing of his 'real' best friend that he hadn't seen for nearly a year by that point back in December. That point when they shared who they were dating instead of each other.

So he just nods when Riku doesn't follow up that topic. ]

No problem.

[ They were nearly at the part of the city where the house was already. He's going to keep walking but... ]

Unless you meant with a Corridor, because I still don't think you're ready for that.

No, I meant when we get there.

[ Because he's not so sure he's ready for that either.

Right now, he just wants to sink into that bed and sleep for hours... and hours... and hours. Of course, with sleep comes the risk of having nightmares that have been bothering him these past few days and he's almost positive that he'll have one or two of them in his attempt to find peace and rejuvenation through sleep but, his body craves the rest and it shows in how much he's depending on Arden as they walk.

Something he never thought he would experience. ]

Then yeah, I can do that.

[ He starts to slow his pace though. Riku going from barely steadying himself on Arden's shoulder to really leaning on him is less of a trouble to Arden and more of a worry. He's confident he can carry Riku on his back, but at what cost to Riku's pride and their tenuously less-antagonistic connection. ]

We're close, but how are you holding up?

[ Even if he joked about completely avoiding the question of soup due to how exhausted Riku will be, he's not sure Riku can keep walking the whole way. With a Corridor out of the question... what other options did they have? ]

[ Not many from the looks of it. ]

I've been better.

[ And that was most certainly the truth.

However, Riku finds that he needs to stop then, legs giving out and his grasp on Arden becoming tighter as he tries to keep himself balanced, let alone standing. It's with a heavy sigh and a loll of his head to the side that he gives a few shakes of his head. ]

I'm fine. It's just... further than I thought.

[ "I'm fine" he says as he stops completely. Arden stops too, looking at him with a mixture of frustration and worry. Someone he had a better bond with who was being this stubborn he'd just pick up and run with. He can't do that with Riku, not even if he told himself it was for Sora's sake that he not let Sora's best friend collapse on the pavement. He'd just have to catch him before that point.

He's starting to wish he had a wyvern the size of Tarn he could call out to. ]

Alright.

[ Wait until Riku's ready then. ]

[ Stubborn stubborn stubborn.

After a moment and giving a couple nods, Riku begins to move again alongside Arden, breathing slow and steady, making sure to keep his grip on the other. Perhaps later after he's had some much needed rest he'll feel annoyed at this but, for the moment, to have Arden here like this, well... perhaps it's needed lest he end up just sleeping on the ground.

For now, he remains quiet in the moment, focused on his keeping his balance and even trying to walk a little quicker for both their sakes. ]

[ They make it to the front of the house with Riku moving at a quicker pace than that, but he's mentally guessing that Riku could be out for as long as Sora at this point. He shoos away the wyverns at the front door, taking care to try and use his free hand rather than force Riku to shift how he's balancing himself. ]

There, at least now the only problem will be the stairs.

[ He stops at the base of the stairs, and then shifts to stand in front of Riku. This much he won't ask about - it's the best way rather than trust Riku's stamina after forcing himself this far. Sure, Riku could use the handrail going up one side and his other hand on the wall, but then they're still depending on his sense of balance to not hit the floor.

So instead of risk that, Arden grabs both of Riku's wrists and starts walking backwards up the stairs - slowly. ]

[ What would Sora think of this if he saw? If he saw any of what had happened for that matter. Would he consider this to be the blossoming of a beautiful new friendship (something that he wants)? Or would he be concerned for things they've said to one another? Regardless, the snoozer may never know about this day lest one of them tell him and it's with a glance up to Arden that he slowly begins to follow along up the stairs... not even caring about more or less being guided. ]

Whose idea was it to have so many stairs?

[ He has to smirk a little. ]

I think his name was Edward Elric.

[ The house wasn't originally like this, but with Sora continuing to invite people in... well, Roxas could only adapt by finding someone to expand the house for him.

One day they may talk about Arden seeing Riku at one of his weakest moments, but it wouldn't be while he was already this emotionally worn out. He was taking mental note after mental note - not to tell Sora about, but to come back to with Riku himself and maybe with his confidant Zenyatta, someone apart from their circle. ]

Two minutes and you can be alone again.

[ They reach the top of the stairs, and Arden waits for Riku to reach the top as well before figuring out if he can let go now. ]

[ When Riku reaches the top of the stairs with Arden, he comes to stop for a moment, catch his breath, simply take a moment before he nods and gently tries to pull his wrists from Arden's hands. With there being no stairs anymore to pose as a potential threat for falling, Riku feels as though he's capable of making the short distance from said stairs to the room he's been staying in. You know, when he's here. ]

I feel like sleeping for a month...

[ Which, he's not so sure he'd be able to do even if he wanted to what with his nightmares as of late... maybe he can get a couple hours or even four. ]

[ 'Please don't. We don't need three of you,' he thinks. Can't joke about Sora's status, though. He lets Riku's wrists go and allows him to move past to his bedroom - past Sora's room too, but the door is shut, so hopefully Riku can just go to sleep like he clearly needs to. ]

Hopefully not. Either way, I'll try to make sure you're not disturbed.

[ And whatever happened when he woke... whether he left again or came to find Arden to continue talking, that was up to him. ]

[ Riku comes to stop at his door, gently pushing it open but not yet stepping inside the room. The bed looks... just as he left it, not even really looking as though he's been in it at all. But it's there and it's comfortable and his body is aching to be in it with his head on the pillow.

And yet... he finds himself standing there, back to Arden, fingers gently clutching at the door frame. ]

Sora was right about you.

[ He says the words softly. ]

You're different.

[ A beat. ]

Thank you, Arden.

[ There are definitely moments where all Arden is doing is going through the motions of what he thinks Sora would have done, or Minnie, or Snow White. They aren't really natural to him, seeking out ulterior motives like finding peace in the house and some way to reach an understanding with Riku in a very selfish desire for his own growth. There are moments like today where a part of him wants to gloat about helping someone who was clearly struggling because - look at him! he's so much better! he's had so much more experience! - and he struggles against those personality inclinations forged by a fake childhood of betrayal followed up with even worse betrayals by those who created him.

And then there's moments like this, facing his fears and being told - in a not insignificant way - he'd succeeded at some of his goals. And for all that it gave him satisfaction, it made a difference for Riku too, and undoubtably would make a difference to Sora, even if he didn't find out the specifics. It could make a difference to Roxas and Ventus, maybe even Squall. He could have an impact in a positive way by trying - just like Minnie said he could when she knighted him.

So it's kind of a childish grin on his face when Riku says that, getting praise from such an unlikely source. What he labeled that source couldn't be answered yet, but this was a stepping stone towards that, so heck yeah he's gonna smile about it. ]

Heh...

[ Speechless, at first. ]

You're welcome, Riku.

[ He takes the opportunity to turn away first, trying to relieve some of the pressure for Riku to stand there any longer than he has to. He's got wyverns chirping and food to cook - and apparently two more people checking in on Izana, so definitely need a big meal prepared. ]

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