• day 6 •

[otherness]

[Roxas looks worse for wear. He's tired and exhausted if his face is anything to go by. His signature black coat is gone, leaving him in a dirty, bloodstained shirt and pants. All the fight in his eyes has gone. The blood is old, at least.]

Didn't think I could still come here. [His voice is quiet, almost disbelieving. He gets up, carefully feeling the air in front of him for hidden walls, and then he begins to walk. His steps are slow, careful, and tender.

He stops in front of the movie theater and doesn't move for a long time, just looking at the sign.]

Comments

[darkercalling]

[That's the thing - Riku does care. He may be a Soulless and, well, Nobody - but he's not nothing. There's a difference. And the fact that DiZ can't seem to see that is just part of what makes him twitch.

Riku isn't here to fight, anyway. There's no hostility in his demeanor, only a little bit of caution that comes from speaking up to someone who has every damn reason to hate you just for who you are and what you've done up until now.]

I think I understand what you mean.

[And at Roxas's question, Riku's expression darkens, just a little, purely out of guilt.]

No. ... I can't.

[otherness]

[He peeks at Riku curiously, not expecting him to understand. But he lets it go, for now.]

What? But... you woke him up so you could be together again, right?

[A rather simplistic view of things, but... that's really all Roxas can see, considering his position.]

He's... your friend.

[Something Roxas doesn't have anymore.]

[darkercalling]

Yeah. That's part of it.

I woke him up because he's my friend. And I'd like to be together again. But it's not that simple right now.

[It's because Sora is his friend that he feels like he should stay away. He doesn't exactly deserve to be around right now.]

[otherness]

[Roxas still doesn't understand.]

What do you mean, it's not that simple? Even when things got really complicated with Axel and Xion, they still—

[He cuts himself off. Does he have any right to call Xion his friend now? He looks down at his feet instead. He takes in a small, quiet breath and murmurs the following:]

You should be with him. He worries about you a lot.

[Roxas should know-- they have a bond no one else can understand.]

[darkercalling]

[Meanwhile, Riku doesn't expect anyone to understand. So he doesn't even bother arguing, especially when Roxas stops himself short anyway. He does frown at that, curious as to what could be going on in his head.

Then he goes and says that, and it feels as though something in Riku's core drops.

He hangs his head for a second, pointedly glances off to the side.]

Yeah. ... He shouldn't.

[otherness]

That's what friends do. They worry, even when you don't want them to.

[He pulls his knees to his chest.]

You aren't going to drag me back?

[darkercalling]

Yeah. I know. [He even manages a small laugh - mostly rueful, but also with a bit of fondness.

Then, he shakes his head.]

No. ... You shouldn't be there anyway.

[otherness]

[That gets him to look up.]

What?

[But you /put/ him there.]

[darkercalling]

[He didn't want to! Also he's not repeating himself.]

Just give me a little more time.

[otherness]

[Roxas stares at Riku for a long moment. He's afraid to hope, afraid of what those words might mean. But he comes to a similar conclusion as before, and simply nods.]

Xion trusted you, [he says, because that's justification. And because he can feel how much Sora cares about Riku, too.] So I'll wait.

It's not like I have plans anyway.

[darkercalling]

[Every mention of Xion just makes his heart hurt. This one is definitely no exception.

But he keeps that from showing on his face, simply nods at Roxas. Consider it a promise.]

You might want to have some ideas.

[otherness]

[Ideas? He doesn't have any ideas.

And then it comes to him.]

... ice cream.

[darkercalling]

[He's not expecting that. Really, he wasn't expecting any answer at all, so he's not entirely putting two and two together.]

... Ice cream?

[otherness]

[He sounds so confused. Roxas just looks at his hands.]

At the end of the day, we always got ice cream.

[darkercalling]

[Ah. He gets it now. He ducks his head a bit.]

That sounds like a good plan to have, then.

[otherness]

... Do you like ice cream?

[This is very relevant to the conversation ok.]

[darkercalling]

[He nods.]

Yeah, I do. But I haven't had any in a long time.

[otherness]

[Roxas thinks about asking him. It's written on his face when he looks at Riku, but in the end he just can't muster up the offer, and he remains silent.]

[darkercalling]

[their social link isn't high enough in level yet

All that Riku can tell is that it looks like Roxas was about to say something, but changed his mind. He considers asking about it... but decides it's probably best left alone.]

... I may not be dragging you back, but don't get yourself in trouble.

[otherness]

[Roxas blinks at him for a moment, not expecting that.]

— Isn't that the point of being behind bars?