Come! Guardian!

              The young Prince’s eyes continuously streamed tears down his face, even after he was scooped up into his dad’s arms and held high above the ground. He hated staying at Maleficent’s house. She was always so mean and made him not want to talk or say a single word for long periods of time when he went back home. She didn’t give him dinosaur placemats or play hide and seek with him when he asked. She wasn’t like his dad…  she never would be. Plus, she said that Sora wasn’t a good friend for him. At least his dad seemed to like that he was making new friends. 

              He nuzzled his little button nose into Ansem’s shoulder while his small arms wrapped around his dad’s neck nice and firm. “H-How come she doesn’t like new people?” The little shadow asked through sniffles and tears, “Wh-What’s wrong with Sora? ‘Sides you, he’s my only friend. I thought friends were good?”

There would have to be a call to Maleficent in the very near future. As much as they didn’t get on... they still shared the same end goal whether Riku was aware of it or not. It was likely the woman still wouldn’t listen to him but, he did worry for the boy when he cried and cried and cried. Surely, it would make shaping him to their cause in the future all the more difficult.

             The darkness returned to him so easily, like breathing. With every deep, tantalizing inhale, Riku felt the darkness coursing more violently through his vein and the light inside of him slowly slipping away. “But… What about Sora…?”As Ansem talked about what he needed to let go, he felt the tears of himself past and present begin to prick their way beyond his eyelashes. Each tear was a piece of the walls that he had built up violently high to prevent anyone from breaking through them. Ansem … Ansem broke through them as if they were water – so easily and smoothly. 

            The Prince of Darkness stood still as his chest rose and fell heavily with each shaky inhale. He inhaled the small amount of good that was inside of him and exhaled the darkness that was quickly starting to replace it. Ansem was right, he’d mastered the darkness before. He could do it again, so long as he allowed himself to do give into it. His head fell, silver bangs covering his closed eyes. Each tear that fell against the spoil was another once of darkness slithering inside of him. 

             He did as Ansem said, he cried to let it all go. He cried because he knew that he wasn’t good enough. He cried because he had yet to find something that made him feel worth more than dirt. He cried because he always disappointed people. He cried… and cried … and cried until Riku screamed, “DYING WOULD BE EASIER THAN LIVING IN HELL, PAIN AND MISERY EVERY FUCKING DAY!” and then he fell to the ground, hitting his fists on the soil in front of him. That scream was the last of it. The boy who had chosen to walk the paths of both darkness and dawn now only walked that of darkness… the path he always knew he belonged in despite how much he tried to fight it.

What about Sora? Sora whom everyone held so high and dear. A ridiculous child. Riku was always there for Sora and where was the spikey haired nitwit when Riku needed him? Not here it would seem. Nowhere around, allowing the shadows to seep deeper and deeper into his soul until it was tainted once more.

It was simple really. All it took was telling Riku what he wanted to hear rather than trying to argue anything different. Feeding into insecurities was what he lived for. “That’s it, Shadow. Let it out... You will feel better in time. I swear to it.” 

He moved forward and kissed the boy on the top of head as he cried, just as he would when he was young. Simple gestures to sway the light side that remained.

              Aquamarine eyes watched the shadows that slowly crept toward him against the various surfaces around him. For the first time in a long time, the Prince of Darkness didn’t flinch away from them, he welcomed them like they were old friends as the darkness in his heart began to grow hungry for more. He curled his fingers in on themselves, bringing the sickening sensations closer to his heart as he stood still where he stood. 

              He lifted his eyes as the father-like figure from his childhood approached him, bringing a calmness with him that Riku’s own mind and heart could no longer provide him in this state. He stare straight ahead as his hair was stroked in a way that was far to familiar, He felt eerie, but warm  . .  Empty and cold but safe as the figure of darkness easily welcomed him home. “I- … I can’t…” He fought himself as the light in his heart struggled against the darkness. “… If I let it all go… ” Fear-filled eyes lifted to meet golden embers as he dared look up at Ansem. “…What will happen to me?” He needed to let go,  he needed to be free of the tight hold that he clung to for dear life… but he couldn’t without guidance.

If Riku reached out, he knew his shadows would be drawn to him. Leaving Ansem’s grasp in favour of the boy. It was his will. Today was less about hunting and harming. Less about control than it had been in years between the two of them.

It was about that familiarity and something akin to familial love they’d once shared in days long gone and now filled with malice and pain.  “I do not understand sorrow as you do.” He shrugged, letting his hand fall to the boy’s shoulder. “But, as i’ve observed there are many benefits to allowing yourself to cry. So, I suggest you give yourself that much. Let out those nasty feelings and then let in the darkness to disconnect for as long as you wish. You’ve mastered it once before. You can do it again.” A game, toying with the strength of his son’s heart.

@darkheartedprince

The muddled feelings radiating off of Riku were strong. Feelings of sorrow, self loathing, fear... Often times they were hidden by the strong mask he wore, hidden by the boy in the light he clung so tightly to. But, there was only so long you could push something down before it bubbled to the surface threatening to spill over.

Gloves came off as he approached quietly. There was no real murderous intent this time. It was not like stalking prey... It was rather calm. Shadows were ushered towards the boy a calming dark. None too fast, coming in like an old friend and soon he too was right in front of him, carding a hand through those familiar silver locks.

“I too have questions. B-but I would not be so stupid to go against such decisions!” He did snort however at the choices. “At least they will be useful in other circumstances..~”

“If you had to hang around with these fools long enough, you’d definitely consider it.” 

“Don’t look at myself, it was everyone else’s idea first.”