DREAM EATER.

❝ if it ain' th' great keyblade master, riku comin' t' grace me with a visit at this late hour. ❞ he hadn't seen the kid in a good while; but he was confident that he was still alive out there looking for sora. it was a concerning situation to say the least, but there were ways of figuring out where sora's soul had flitted off to.

❝ well... close th' door behind you. don't need th' soot daemons t' get in. ❞ it would just be the two of them, so it likely was going to be a important and confidential. information from beyond the world was strictly offlimits to most of traverse town. hanekoma was also selectively here because it was the easiest between point to talk. he had his shop in the second district and it was protected while they were inside.

traverse town was a world with which riku had a.... complicated relationship.

even just a year or so before, he would have absolutely dreaded the thought of coming back to thie world for any kind of reason - but the mark of mastery, getting to know joshua, shiki and beat, had made it a bit of a sweeter pill to swallow.

mr. hanekoma's café had made it a lot more palatable, too - to the point that it had become one of those places riku defaulted to when he needed some time alone, or just away from the concerned gazes of the restoration committee, master yen sid, mickey-- when other peoples' worries for him and searching for sora threatened to destroy him, and listening to other peoples' stories and struggles was somehow easier.

❝ if it ain' th' great keyblade master, riku comin' t' grace me with a visit at this late hour. ❞

mr. h could always somehow pull a smile out of him, even if it was small.

❝ well... close th' door behind you. don't need th' soot daemons t' get in. ❞

❝ oh, ❞

riku started, doing as told - he usually did close the door behind him wherever he went, but-- it had indeed been a while since he'd been back. he didn't realise how he'd lost track of time.

❝ sorry. ❞

the door closed behind him with a small click, and he turned his head back to the counter after scanning through the café, re-committing it to memory; there was something warm, gentle and nostalgic about it that always settled his shoulders.

safe.

⁽   *   ⁾    𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒  𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊   →   sentence  starters

“I  will  always  find  you,  no  matter  how  lost  you  feel.”

“Let  me  take  your  pain—if  I  could  bear  it  for  you,  I  would.”

“You  don’t  have  to  stand  alone—I’ll  always  be  here  to  catch  you.”

“Your  scars  do  not  make  you  less  worthy  of  love.”

“Rest  now.  I’ll  be  here  when  you  wake.”

“I  will  stand  between  you  and  the  storm.”

“Tell  me  your  story—I  want  to  know  every  part  of  you.”

“Run.  I’ll  hold  them  back.”

“Let  me  hold  you  until  the  nightmares  fade.”

"If  they  want  you,  they’ll  have  to  go  through  me  first.”

“I  will  always  be  your  light,  even  in  the  darkest  moments.”

“Come  back  to  me.  I’ll  wait  as  long  as  it  takes.”

“I  won’t  let  them  take  you—I’d  give  anything  to  keep  you  safe.”

⁽   *   ⁾    𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒  𝐒𝐄𝐄   →   scene  prompts

LAVENDER  →  A  small,  cozy  apartment  in  the  heart  of  a  busy  city.

CHERRY  BLOSSOM  →  A  rooftop  bar  with  twinkling  fairy  lights.

RED  ROSE  →  A  luxury  penthouse  suite.

SUNFLOWER  →  A  sunflower  farm  just  outside  of  town.

RUE  →  A  quiet,  almost  abandoned  street  in  the  heart  of  the  city.

FORGET-ME-NOT  →  A  run-down  but  charming  vintage  record  store  tucked  between  newer  shops

BLACK  VELVET  PETUNIA  →  A  chic,  underground  jazz  club  in  a  city’s  artsy  district.

MARIGOLD  →  A  farmers’  market  on  a  busy  weekend  morning.

MOONFLOWER  →  A  secluded,  trendy  rooftop  lounge  overlooking  a  sprawling  cityscape  at  night.

POPPY  →  An  abandoned  warehouse  on  the  outskirts  of  town.

MANDRAKE  →  A  small,  independent  cafe  nestled  on  a  quiet  street.

LILY  →  A  serene,  minimalist  art  gallery  with  bright  white  walls.

CARNATION  →  A  high-end  florist  shop  with  glass  vases  of  colorful  blooms.

PEONY  →  A  luxury  spa  retreat  by  the  beach.

ORCHID  →  A  rooftop  garden  in  a  sleek  modern  building.

DAFFODIL  →  A  trendy  brunch  spot  by  the  lake.

TULIP  →  A  chic  urban  loft  filled  with  large  windows  and  tulip  arrangements.

CAMELLIA  →  A  sleek  art  deco  hotel  lobby.

JASMINE  →  A  night-lit  garden  terrace  attached  to  a  modern  apartment.

SNAPDRAGON  →  A  secret  garden  tucked  behind  an  old  café  in  the  city.

LOTUS  →  A  chic  yoga  studio  with  floor-to-ceiling  windows  overlooking  a  busy street.

"do you think i'd be a good knight ? without the armor bit."

somehow, riku can't help but think of her in one of the knight's armoured helmets - or rather, trying to fit into it, but it tilting against the side of her face from being a few sizes too big; it's enough to bring an amused smile to his face, and he tries his best not to laugh.

"i think you have the determination for it," he agrees, nodding after a moment, "and skill comes with time and practice - the only way i got good with a sword was from all the swordfighting i did as a kid."

he tried not to think about how, without those sword skills, he certainly would have been in a lot more trouble upon first leaving his homeworld than he had been - it had been one of the few things he was grateful for back then.

"who knows - maybe you'd find a weapon that suits you eventually. smaller knives, which are lighter, for example."

he watches as she lays back down in the grass, plucks a flower into her hair - her eyes are so bright & brilliant, &

"do you regret the bad things that you did ?"

he tries his best not to flinch at the question, as he moves his gaze to the horizon. "of course," it's not a question he really has to think about, so his answer doesn't take long, "it took a long time for me to... work past it. to make up for the things i did. but i'm better now."

or, at least, he hoped he was - though he could tell people saw the better in him now, sometimes, the dark voice in the back of his head whispered.

"i'm... still learning that protective balance, though. my... friends have been helping me."

The sights and sounds of the cityscape had been strange at first, beeping cars and bustling nightlife different to the washing waves of home, but he had slowly gotten used to it - if this weren't his Unreality, he thought he might like to live in a place like this, or at least have a residence here he could come to when he wasn't travelling the worlds.

Leaning his arms against the balcony, he's thinking on these things, watching people come and go across the large crosswalk crossings against a yellow-orange sky slowly dusting into red, when he hears the doors slide open - and he looks over his shoulder to spot her, a small smile offered in her direction.

Every day here, every day not finding Sora, has been another day wittling away at his patience and sparking at his worry - but he's been trying to see the positives, trying to not take Lightning and her hospitality for granted.

"You're home late,"

He comments, a hint of humour to his tone,

"Have fun with Serah?"

@dawnled sent an asked ! | unprompted (always accepting )

SHIBUYA's sky must pale in comparison to the IRIDESCENT sky RIKU has shared in his recollection of home. But in a way, Lightning can picture it. Before moving here, her hometown of BODHUM was nothing short of clear sky and shores that brings fruitful waves to all those who wants to enjoy. She found it easy to imagine the home Riku shared in the many times they had dinner together.

Perhaps it was a blessing to help her connect easier to her friend. Especially now than ever.

Lightning wasn't blind, she has seen the deepening shadows on his eyes and every time Riku came back from finding links of SORA, his shoulder would dip as he shared his experience to Lightning. At the same time, no luck in Lightning's front as well. None of her contacts in the police or military has shared any findings. Doesn't help that this SORA person's only physical trait is his hair ( spikey, like Riku's ) other than that, brown hair and blue eyes are a wide net to cast even with their facial recognition.

( don't worry sis! this would cheer up anyone ! )

But after a night out with SERAH—her sister who is better than her in every aspect that has to do with interpersonal relationship—Lightning has a gift that would hopefully be a sliver of light to Riku's week. When she hears his voice, a tone jovial than she would expect but nonetheless welcome, Lightning puts the plan in motion. Settling her shoes on the rack by the entryway and her bag by the bench, she test out a smile that hopefully looks gentle rather than wry. (   its not her forte, she knows   )

“ hey there— ” Lightning waves, another hand on her back. Shielding her gift. “ yeah, it was a while since we had a girl's night out...” She takes steps forward to cross the space in between, before settling a cake box on his hand.

“ there...um ” Tongue-tied and cheeks blooming red, hoping the sunset would blur the hues in her face. “ its a celebration cake because...” Lightning looks up to the ceiling, wondering why she can't look at him. “ we're going on a trip next week to my hometown...” Lightning was never for a prayer, but she does now. Hoping that even though her words fail her, she hopes RIKU feels what she is trying to convey.

 (  you're not alone...let's take a break—and we'll get through it together   )

the day had been long, loud, and wonderfully adventurous ! brimmed with more breathless excitement than she expected. her cheeks actually ache from all the chatting and laughing they had done ─── albeit, more than likely, most of that had probably been her. not that it matters to her, though, she'll talk his ears off if she can.

but now as she rolls onto her back with a huff and whispered laugh after finishing decorating his hair, there is no rushing, no nothing, no need to keep moving. just the warmth of the nearing sunset, the steady sound of riku nearby ( with the pretty flowers in his hair ), and the pleasant exhaustion settling into her sugared bones. ariel lets out another perfumed sigh and stretches, content and sleepy in her smiling lips, savoring the quiet little break that'd finally come.

"hm ??" his laugh comes as a surprise, a sweet sound she's not used to hearing roll off his tongue and she grins. "really ?" calling him a prince had made him laugh, she notes that, that maybe it isn't always a compliment to be called that after all.

his correction has her mouth sundering, suddenly sitting up with her hands offering support behind her back. "a knight in shining armour." ariel ponders for a moment as she watches him, peruses him is more like it, eyes squinting and everything.

"i can see that ! knight riku. that suits you better than prince, you're right." tearing her gaze away and onto the village that can be seen in the distance, there's space to think about the knights and guards that patrol the kingdom, and ariel wonders what it'd be like to see him walk around among them. it'd be nice, that would mean they can see each other more often.

her suddenly sitting up makes him wonder if he has said something wrong, but her face is contemplative ; there's a furrow to her brows as she squints at him, he thinks, and he's almost not sure what to do with it.

then it's gone from him and darting toward the distant village, where riku's own eyes follow - two knight stand by the path that leads from the village along the fields they're sitting in, tall and proud, and riku recalls seeing others patrolling earlier in the day.

not offensive or wary, no, just guards for the sake of safety - a peace he wished other worlds could also maintain.

"would you wear all that armour ? it looks heavy. i once held the helmet and nearly fell forward, i don't know how humans can stand that."

riku watches the guards a few moments more at her question, a small hum in the back of his throat, a smile curling his lips at the mental image.

"humans will do a lot of things to protect those they care for," he muses, the words coming from somewhere deep, "if it would mean i could protect people better, i would wear it."

the feeling of fingers slipping a flower back into his hair doesn't go unnoticed, nor do the words she speaks after:

"but i hope you protect yourself, too."

he has to wonder how off-hand the words are, or if she is speaking from the knowledge she has of him - how much has been from what sora has told her? how much is from their brief interactions? is he so easily decipherable, so easily defined?

is that really a bad thing, in this case?

".... i'm still learning," he admits, eyes still on the knights in the distance, "there was a time where i worked so hard to protect myself and my image that i... did some bad things. some might argue i then went too far in the opposite direction, protecting others at the cost of mysef."

it had taken a long time for sora and kairi to drill into him that saving them at the cost of himself would only make them sad. he... was still trying to wrap his head around that idea, and sometimes fell into bad habits in the heat of the moment, but...

Having someone walk up to Lightning on the streets of Shibuya with familiarity wasn't unusual - sometimes it was Serah, Fang or Hope, or anyone from that friend group, really - but this is the first time Riku's seen this particular man.

He's not familiar, but he radiates power even Riku can feel from where he stands a few feet away, and though strong, it doesn't feel oppressive - at least, not in his direction.

He must not be hostile, if Lightning is happy to let the two of them stand there idly while she goes to order them drinks and snacks from the café they're standing outside - but that doesn't leave Riku with any more knowledge on what to say or do.

Compared to Snow and the others, though, this man feels---- different, somehow.

"How do you know Lightning?"

--

He had made sure to be courteous to the young man accompanying Lightning when he had run into them in Shibuya, the rose haired woman having been easy to spot amongst the crowd and from a distance, Light had thought it was Hope with her, as the other silver haired youth often liked to spend time with the older woman. However, as he had drawn closer, the difference in power became more obvious. 

Riku, has he learned the youth’s name was from Lightning as she introduced them, seemed to be a sharp young man – giving the air of someone with boundless courage and strength but also a solemnness to the light that he bore within, like he had lost his way – or perhaps lost something.

Of course, that wasn’t Light’s business to know. 

He could feel Riku’s scrutinizing gaze now and again as he walked beside them, making their way to a café that Lightning had offered to treat them to, leaving the two of them alone outside to wait for her after she had taken their orders. It seems that’s when Riku finally decided to speak, though the Warrior was not surprised by the interrogation. 

Calm blue eyes shift to meet curious sea greens ones.

“Lightning and I work together.” Light answers simply, while he does not mean to entirely dodge the query, he is not certain just how much the other knows about the work they do as Ghost, as keeping their identities from the public is crucial for them to do their work with ease. While he does sense the same sort of fighting spirit within Riku, one can still never be too cautious. 

At least until he knows for certain.

( well, mostly ; sometimes, when Lightning was feeling particularly charitable with her life story, he chanced another ask, but she always looked at him with that small, amused smile of hers and told him that maybe she'd tell him, someday. )

For now, he labelled her as a military woman, or at least someone who gave off the impression of having done such in the past ; whatever work she did now seemed secretive, if she couldn't dare to tell him, so perhaps it was something governmental. Or, perhaps he was completely off the mark, and it was actually something illegal-- though she didn't give him that feeling.

And he had spent his fair share of time with villains.

“Lightning and I work together.”

If Riku was being honest, that just made him even more curious - someone else who worked in Lightning's profession, who was probably even less likely to tell him. But, he gave the same feeling-- powerful, protective, good and confident at whatever he did.

He reminded him of a fighter, a warrior, if he was to really think about it. Maybe they actually had something in common.

"I see."

“If I may ask a similar question, Riku, how did you come to know her?”

At that, Riku gave a moment of pause - shifted his gaze to watch Lightning as she waited in line, the strong, confident line of her back. He had been unsure of her at first, had felt like anything he might say could irritate her, but she was warmer than her appearance suggested, to those that got to know her.

Riku felt blessed to know her, really - that she had taken to him the way that she had, and continued to look after him when he struggled.

"I'm here looking for a friend,"

He replied, moving his eyes back to Light,