[ That makes Arden freeze again. Not that Vanitas would 'use' an innocent party to lure someone into a trap, because that sounded all too like Vanitas. It's the other part, and it becomes thoughts he'd rather have kept to himself being given voice. ]

Is that what Ven told you? Or Vanitas? That 'being connected' means that when one of them hurts, the other feels it?

[ There's that prickle at his shoulderblade again. He swallows hard. That's... nerve-wracking if true. If his hunch is right.

He does want an answer, but the way his head lolls like that encourages Arden to reach out and grab Riku's arms in an all-too-familiar fashion. He's going to have to lift him and carry him back to the house. He's sure of it. ]