empatheias | ( closed )

[ Shockingly, not even the mention of Snow White is able to shift Riku's mood and he simply gives a gentle squeeze to Sora's hand before he comes to stop and pull him flush against him right there in the middle of the market.

Not even coming to say anything for a long moment, Riku leans in just enough to allow his arms to wrap around Sora's back and... hugs him. Right there. In the middle of the market. Without a care in the world.

He sighs, eyes falling shut behind that blindfold and simply just... takes in this moment while he can, resting his head against Sora's shoulder as he stands there, quiet, softly humming to himself a moment after. ]

Just strawberries then.

[Sora makes a small noise of surprise when Riku tugs him into a hug but there's no struggling away from it. Riku's warmth is a comfortable thing and he presses close to the other without much of a second thought to the rest of the marketplace around them. To be honest, it's so nice to see Riku in such a pleasant mood and for the first time in a while, he thinks Riku might actually be sincerely happy right now. If he was able to be a part of that, then who cares who's watching.

Arms coming to return the hug, his fingers wander up the plain of Riku's back to the tips of his long hair and tangle in it and brush over the fabric hanging down from Riku's blindfold. He doesn't tug this time. No, he just feels over the fabric like it's something fragile.]

I- [Sora chuckles softly,] I thought I was supposed to be the sappy and clingy one?

[But please don't let go. The little charms are glowing brighter.]

You are.

[ Riku mutters the words softly against Sora's hair as he turns his head a little, eyes still closed behind that blindfold and just... feeling Sora against him. There's still moments where it's almost surreal for him to think that Sora is here like this, that he can touch him and hear him, and not be met with nothing but silence like back where he's been pulled from.

It's only after a moment and a hand pressed against Sora's cheek that he pulls back then, fingers softly ghosting away from that cheek before they come to fall back down and grab hold of the other's hand. ]

Strawberries, right?

[Sora's buzzing with energy even after Riku lets go. Those little sparks of pink intensify in color and amount and follow Sora in such a way that he has to lift a hand to try and shoo some of them away. Maybe today he'll be okay with being pointed out as the sappier of the two even if he's still thinking Riku is the winner of that today. It's something to remember.]

Straw- [Then he sees them, a table nearby with baked goods and the bright gleaming red goodness of--] Strawberry tarts!!

[Pulling Riku that way. Today is a very good day. He's going to buy a bundle of six of those. Then they can be on their way!]

[ Allowing himself to be pulled, Riku follows along to the table with the strawberry tarts and, without really thinking about it, pulls out some money to pay for them, figuring that Sora is going to be wanting more than two. ]

How many do you want?

Six.

[Sora grins up at Riku. Are they all for him?? Well-- He could probably eat all of them but he intends to share with Riku too.]

You gonna buy them, Riku?

What does it look like I'm doing?

[ Lifting a hand, Riku gently flicks Sora's forehead with a bit of a smile before he orders the six strawberry tarts and hands over the money to pay for them, watching as they're then carefully placed inside a box. ]

You sure that's all you want?

Ow- [He swats at Riku,] But I could have!

[Sora is the one who's supposed to be buying things?? Let him do it!

But he's more than happy to receive the box of tarts and he shakes his head at Riku.]

That's it. I wanna go see your secret place now. Lead the way!

[ Secret place. Riku almost laughs a little at that before he takes hold of Sora's hand and guides him through the market once the tarts are safe and secure. ]

Don't you be eating any of those on the way over and at least save one for me.

[ Because he knows you, Sora. Oh does he know you with strawberries. ]

[Secret Place or Break Time From Sora place??

Sora grins cheekily.] Just one. Maybe two if you're lucky.

Tch. I always knew you were a pig.

[ But he smiles even as he says that and continues to drag Sora through the market. Thankfully, the walk isn't that long and the place that Riku eventually leads him to is a little ways from the market, tucked on the corner of a cobblestone street with a few bushes trying to bloom outside.

The place itself is rather large and in a cylinder sort of shape, the roof on top seeming a little worn, as does the outside brick of the building itself. The window at the top seems to overlook the market and it's after a moment that he comes to look to Sora and suddenly... seems... nervous? ]

Well... here we are.

[ A beat. ]

Just... don't get your hopes up, ok? I'm kinda still working on it.

[Sora looks up at the building with a curious expression. It's not quite what he'd been picturing in his mind at first but he hasn't seen all of it yet.

He glances at Riku and tilts his head a little.] I wasn't really expecting Disney Castle if that's what you're worried about.

[He squeezes Riku's hand gently.]

[ Sora... that's just... so... ok, he laughs a little, strands of silver falling in front of his face as he bows his head a little. ]

Shut up.

[ But he pulls Sora along with him and goes about unlocking and opening the door.

The inside? Is stairs. Yes, that's right. Stairs. Well, a winding staircase to be exact, nothing else except that and Riku begins to make the climb while still holding Sora's hand. ]

Forgot to tell you about the stairs but it's good exercise for you.

[ Is he teasing you, Sora? He just might be.

When they do reach the top of the stairs, that's where Riku is able to show off his "little place" as he calls it and it looks like... this. Literally. Except there's a mattress set on the floor off to the side and a potted plant with a lamp and the journal Sora wrote for him but other than that? That's it.

Riku stands there, fingers gently stroking at Sora's hand as he... waits. Waits to see what Sora thinks. ]

Well, this is it.

[At least he gets that little bit of laughter from Riku. So, he laughs in return when he's pulled inside and very swiftly punches Riku in the arm when he jabs at him about exercise. Sora is plenty in shape, thank you???

--And then he actually gets to see the secret place. Sora blinks and glances around and gets a somewhat amused smile on his lips as he glances at Riku. It might be a little run down but there's something charming about it.]

Whoa... It's cozy! But you're right, you really are still working on it.

[Sora lets go of Riku just so he can wander around a bit more, looking up at the ceiling and poking a toe at the mattress. YEAH UMM- Riku better be okay with Sora buying a ton of things for this place. He's not going to let Riku say no. He's not even going to ask, he's just gonna start dropping stuff off.]

Riku, you need better lights in here! And a real bed.

Yeah, I'll get right on that with all the money I have.

[ To which, of course, he flicks Sora's head from behind and sighs as he walks past the other. ]

It may not be much but it's somewhere I can take a break from everything... and everyone.

[ Because to be around so many people all the time like Sora is... it's draining for the silver-haired teen. Speaking of draining, Riku comes to drop himself down to the mattress and stretches his legs out then, knocking his head back as he stares up to the ceiling that clearly needs a bit of work on it. ]

Do you want a key for here?

[Oh, poor introverted best friend. He knows why this place will be important for Riku so that's why he sets down the box of tarts somewhere neat and then crosses his arms as he looks up at the ceiling.

(also nodding vigorously about that spare key)]

I can do something about the lights for now, dummy.

[Sora then lifts his hands and stretches his arms up above him. He creates a storm of little lights using dunamis magic that float up to the ceiling to stay there and sparkle like stars in the night sky. They're not super bright but enough to illuminate the room nicely.]

These won't stay forever but long enough for you to get some real lights!

[ The sparkling little stars high above bring a tender smile to Riku's lips and the silver-haired teen can't help but recall younger days on a sandy beaches during the night where it was just the two of them, much like this, looking up to the stars that shone so brightly in the navy blue sky. ]

What, am I on a time limit for that now or something?

[ Riku smiles a little more over to Sora before he comes to roll over on the mattress for just a moment, coming back seconds later to drop a brass key in the other's hand. ]

Here. Just you, though. Don't bring others over with you.

Yup, you sure are. Make it count, alright? [Sora grins in return. Really, what kind of best friend would he be if he let Riku just sit in this place in the dark? He needs to help Riku stay motivated to fix it up! ... Because what if it rains? He sees all those holes in the ceiling.

When he gets the key Sora has to roll his eyes a little playfully before flopping down to sit on the mattress.]

No one? Not even one person?

Not even one person.

[ This is his space away from everyone else, Sora.

With the added company on the mattress, Riku glances over to the other boy and smiles a little before he looks back out to, well, the lack of everything in here. ]

I know it's not much and doesn't look the greatest... but it's mine and at least this way I can get some peace. Don't have to worry about anyone judging me, you know?

[His lips pout a little when Riku reaffirms. Even if Sora had only been joking he can't help to pout.]

I know, I know. I just want you to be happy. This place is just fine.

[ He sees that pout, Sora, even with the blindfold on. ]

Don't pout.

[ Calling Sora out, Riku comes to roll on his side on the mattress then, tucking an arm under his head as a few strands of silver hair fall in front of his face. ]

What if your face suddenly freezes and it gets stuck like that?

[Sora chuckles softly and sits to face Riku's laying body and pushes his shoulder.]

Then I guess you'd have to find a way to fix it.

[He reaches for the box of strawberry tart treats, going to take one out to munch on.]

[ Watching while having Sora so close to him, Riku reaches out to grab Sora's wrist then and while he may not be able to see because of that blindfold and all, Riku is glaring at him... albeit playfully. ]

Are you seriously not going to let me have the first bite? I paid for them.

But you bought them for me??

[Sora whines a bit but he's cracking a smile too. Fine, if Riku is gonna hold him like that and be pretend fussy he's going to move forward to hold up the tart to Riku so he can have a bite of the one Sora is holding. Say, "Ahh~!"]

Here, here.

[ As ridiculous as this truly is, Riku finds himself smiling a little and, after a moment, allows those fingers to squeeze Sora's wrist as he brings the tart closer for a bite. A big one. Practically nipping at Sora's fingertips as he does so. ]

Not bad.

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