( ʙєʏᴏɴᴅ тнє ძ α ω η )

      Valentine’s Day had never before been quite so hectic for Riku. But this year there was so much he wanted to do for Sora, to show just how much he loved him with all of his heart. Yeah, he probably shouldn’t have waited until the morning of to go about working on all of those things, but there was something about waking up extra early to get to work on it that made this whole experience feel... a bit more special to him. 

      He went to bed unusually early the night before in order to pull off waking up so much earlier than his norm, but thankfully he was able to avoid any suspicion from Sora by excusing it to be because of yet another headache of his. He woke by the crack of dawn, taking extra care not to accidentally wake up his friend when slipping out of bed. Grogginess hung over him as it was still far too early for him to be waking up, but he had to get to work on his preparations. He snuck away then, quietly getting washed up and dressed before he summoned a Dark Corridor and rushed off to his destination.

      For the first time traveling in months, it went... surprisingly well, especially considering the current state of his heart. There was no dizziness or sapped energy from his usage of dark travel without protection this time, and... perhaps that should have worried him, but he had more important things to worry about. Riku stared out at the sun ever so slowly creeping up above the horizon, with the waves of Destiny Island eternally lapping at the sand with its gentle tide, assuring him that absolutely nothing had changed in his time away. It was peaceful at this hour, not a soul in sight on the main island, much less the play island. He had his world all to himself, even after being away for so long now...

      It would be a lie if he denied the ache in his heart that the return to the islands brought to him. The pain of how much he missed everything and everyone dug into him--- he missed his home, his island, and he missed Kairi, and even his father... There was regret for the choices that he’d made to abandon it all, sinking deep into the depths of his heart. But Sora needed him more than anyone, and he would continue to stick by his side through thick and thin. Regardless of what feelings returning home stirred up within him, he was here for Sora right now, to try and help him quell the very same homesickness that that was plaguing Riku.

      With that in mind, he managed to pull himself together and finally set out on his quest. He scoured the beach for shells, bringing up fond memories of the hunts he, Sora, and Kairi used to do when they were younger. Kairi was always the best at finding the most beautiful seashells the shore had to offer, but Riku’s keen eye at least used to make him almost fair competition for her. He searched far and wide across the sand, picking up only the truly perfect shells. If there was even the slightest chip or deformity he would toss it right back, moving on to look for the next one. His high standards made his hunt last longer than it should have, but eventually he collected just enough to be satisfied.

      He had the tools he needed in his pocket, so he decided for the sake of no disturbances, he might as well put together his gift here too. Heading into the shack with a bag of shells in hand, he got right to work on the bracelet. Delicately piercing holes through the shells and threading them onto a rope, it was a rather simplistic design but would surely come out looking nice in the end. Riku even kept aside one of the medium sized conch shells and two clam shells he found in order to make his own (a tad lackluster) matching necklace once his work on the bracelet was finished. Simple pieces of jewelry to keep the thought of home close to their hearts, even while worlds away with slim hopes of returning.

      The gifts went into his pockets and he quickly cleaned up the slight mess he made from cleaning the shells, and with one last look out at the ocean, Riku returned to the Mont. He still had one more thing to get done before Sora woke up... 

      Going through his usual routine of tying his hair back and throwing on an apron, Riku spent the rest of his morning in the kitchen. He had no regrets in using up the rest of the pancake mix with this breakfast alone, intending to make a full heart pancake buffet this morning. The only real inconvenience was that he would have to bug Xehanort to go out and pick up more sometime, but alas socialization with the bastard was required to properly function in the Mont, and he’d have to embrace it eventually. Riku even went the extra mile of washing and cutting up whatever berries he could find as both a side and to be used as toppings on the pancakes if one so wished.

      In the end he... definitely had quite a few mountains of pancakes to go around for everyone. So much that he unfortunately even saw it fit to leave some for Xehanort. With a sigh he took out one more plate, setting it down at Xehanort’s usual spot at the kitchen table and scooping a decent share of the pancakes onto it. Upon further thought, he supposed he better write a little note to clarify... Ugh, why was he doing this.

          I made more than enough pancakes for Sora and I, so I figured I might as well           leave some for you, too. If you don’t want them, just put them in the fridge, I’m           sure Sora will eat them later. Happy Valentine’s Day, I guess.                                                                                                                     -Riku

      With that done and out of the way, he went back to business, not at all caring what would become of that ‘peace offering’. He took five minutes out of his preparation to acknowledge Xehanort, and that was more than enough for him. He went back to gathering up the berries and syrup, put everything onto a tray and made his way to his room.

      Riku gave a courtesy knock with his free hand before opening the door, sneaking in just as carefully as he snuck out. “Rise and shine, Sora,” he said softly, approaching the bed. He set the tray down on the nightstand so he could sit himself down comfortably beside Sora, leaning over to press a kiss to his forehead. “Happy Valentine’s Day. Hope you’re hungry, ’cause I made plenty of pancakes for us.”

REJOICE for i love you katt doki doki

    This was... definitely embarrassing, and Riku was beginning to severely question why in the worlds he thought this was ever a good idea. It was another special occasion trip to the Realm of Sleep, with him guiding Sora to a select location in Traverse Town. There were less dramatics this time, not bothering to blindfold his friend like he did last time he brought him here and risk making things even more awkward.

     Everything would have been fine, really, if it weren't for what the occasion was. Taking Sora away to give him a special gift on Valentine's Day... that could have very easily come off the wrong way. But..! Yeah, he knew it was a holiday about romance, but... there was nothing wrong with using it as a chance to show appreciation to his friends instead, right? Even if he probably went a bit over the top with it...

     He did his best to keep up with Sora's attempts at small talk while they walked, although he was failing miserably with how flustered he felt. He gave mumbled responses every now and then before picking up his pace, not wanting to draw attention to himself... and doing quite the opposite in the process. Eventually they made it to the vacant house in the Third District and he waved Sora over, heading inside. It was oddly dark inside for once, and wandering around blindly would likely wind up in tripping on something thrown on the floor.

      “Alright, it's in here... you ready?” Not much of a question, really-- it didn't matter if Sora was ready or not, he was getting his gift. Without further ado, Riku jumped up to turn on the light and called out, “Come on out, you guys!”

     In perfect time with the old light bulb flicking on, there was a burst of mirage petals and thorns above the table. Left in their wake were a duo of Dream Eaters; a ruby Woeflower and mint colored Wheeflower hovering about. Upon further inspection there was an assortment of chocolates, cookies, and even some treats for the Dream Eaters laid out on the table, but those little gifts weren't exactly the point of interest at the moment. The appropriately themed Spirits were far more important, especially noting the small bows gently tied to their antennae. A big mint bow was tied to the Woeflower's left antennae, while a thin ruby ribbon was on the Wheeflower's right.

     The Woeflower seemed particularly excited to be summoned, twirling around in place before fluttering off towards Sora to greet him. It made circles around him, seeming to be inspecting him at first. Once it was finally done however it have another twirl in approval, pleased to see this new face had dreams closely linked to its creator’s.  

     The Wheeflower on the other hand seemed intent on staying in place, shyly hiding its face behind its petals. Every so often it would peek out to take a nervous look at Sora, but it clearly wasn't eager to meet a stranger. With the right amount of pets and treats however, it would be sure to warm up to him in no time at all.

     Riku scratched the back of his head, letting out an awkward chuckle. “Happy Valentine's Day, Sora. Hope it's not too much that it comes off weird or anything...” He had to put it out there, if only just to ease his own nerves. “I know how much you loved the S rank Komory Bat I gave you for your birthday, so I figured working on a couple more Dream Eaters wouldn't hurt. Sorry the candies and everything are kind of a mess, though... I picked them up last minute so I could thank you for the cookies from earlier.”

       Honestly, Sora felt like his heart broke for a second time.

       Just hearing that monotonous dead tone of Riku’s was already heart wrenching. But all of his old fight and attitude was all gone. Sora knew Riku would’ve taken the chance to tell Vanitas off and tell Sora to make Vanitas bug off. But instead all he got was submission without even a hint of resistance. He sounded so hopeless, it physically pained Sora to watch Riku scoot away from him.

      This was just what Vanitas wanted, wasn’t it? Yet another attempt to foil the two of them. Playing dirty by waiting to strike when their guards were down. That was low even for him! Sora was quick to close the distance between them, scooting after Riku and taking him in his arms. One hand wrapping around his head and holding him close in a protective embrace. Vanitas might have been trying to start a fight, but the playing field was in Sora’s favor this time. Sora was in control of his body, not him. He could make a difference this time. Sora was going to protect Riku even if the other seemingly gave up, try to show him happiness wasn’t a joke!

      With Riku in his arms, Sora turned his head to Vanitas and glared. “What the hell do you want? Can’t you see when you’re not wanted?! Jus’ get out of here! Leave us alone for ten minutes, will you?!”

      The remnant, however, only looked upon Riku with disbelief. Surely this couldn’t be the same guy he wanted to control so desperately. He wasn’t this depressing in the past. It was honestly quite a drag. Dragging a hand down his ‘face’, Vanitas let out a long, descending groan. As he did, his figure lowered itself while it floated in the air. He didn’t want to listen to Riku’s pitiful drivel any longer, it just was embarrassing.

      “Ughhh… Just stop talking, it’s bringing everyone down. Were you always this depressing? … I think I liked you better when you talked back. It’s not as fun when you just accept it.”

      He thought that crashing their little love fest would’ve yielded better results, but apparently not. Still, this was one of the few times they were together and in a good mood. Any other time would’ve failed without a doubt. In regards to Sora’s attitude, Vanitas folded his arms over, leaning  and hovering just above the two of them.

      “Quit tryin’ to talk big, you and I both know how that doesn’t work.” A brief pause to flick Sora on the head, waving one hand around as he spoke. “Besides, Riku said I could do whatever I want, didn’t he? Are you going back on what he wants? Some boyfriend you are.”

      “You can both calm down, I’m not here to ruin your lives, or whatever.” If he had actual eyes he would have rolled them by now. “There’s something I want to test out, and I need Riku to do it. … Some of my darkness is still left inside him, I’m sure he’s well aware by now. If I can tap into it, and perhaps remove some and put it to better use than sitting within him, I might be able to ditch this form I’m in.”

      Cue a sweep of his arms, leaning back and lowering himself a bit so he wasn’t hanging over them as much. “That’s all. No games, no manipulating, nothing. If you don’t believe me, whatever, I intend on trying it out whether you believe me or not. But it’d be a lot easier on all of us if you actually listened and complied. … Surely sapping a little darkness isn’t the worst thing in the world, mm?”

    There were hands around him, touching him, no, no, not again please no get away STOP STOP STOP--- They seemed gentle as they pulled Riku closer, but no, it was filthy, disgusting, couldn't let this happen again, no, every inch of his skin crawled under their too delicate touch. His eyes were frozen wide open, heart pounding in his chest, and body shaking in the other’s arms. Please, please, he had to get away, PLEASE GO AWAY-- he couldn't let that monster have his way with him again..!!

     Mustering up enough willpower to move, Riku managed to look back at the figure holding him and... right... It was just Sora. Vanitas was still looming above them... there was nothing to worry about. He relaxed in his friend's arms then, letting out a deep breath as he slumped against him. His eyes softened ever so slightly, the faintest trace of a smile lifting his lips for a brief moment. Right... no matter how hopeless he was, at least Sora would always be there for him. He would protect him from Vanitas this time, he had to.

     Banishing the nauseating memories that flooded his mind, he shook his head at Vanitas's words. They cut deep, hitting him in just the right way that he couldn't help but break his silence. “What, you don't like me broken down like this..?! The results of what you did aren’t entertaining enough? Then maybe you should have thought about that before violating my heart and body!” His fingers curled into a fist, slamming down into the mattress.

      Riku’s fire died quickly enough however, the pain Vanitas’s disgust brought catching up to him in no time. Heh... how utterly pathetic. Not even the one who turned him into this sorry shadow of his former self could appreciate what he’d become... How sad was that? He was no more than a broken toy that nobody wanted to pick up, and nobody knew how to fix. Destined to rot until he was finally abandoned by all... His head hung low once more, and he did his best to swallow back the lump growing in his throat.

      This meeting was affecting him, badly. Whether it was merely from Vanitas being physically outside of Sora or some terrible memories his appearance was stirring up, Riku didn’t know for sure. All he knew was that he really needed to get a hold of himself... even if he wasn’t sure he was capable of doing so. He reached up to snatch one of Sora’s hands, holding on to him securely and closing his eyes. He could get through this, he had to... 

      But it seems that simply wouldn’t be happening. Riku shuddered at the explanation of Vanitas’s motive, not hesitating to shrink back into Sora and shake his head rapidly. He heard what he had to say, loud and clear, but there was only one thing that rang loud in his mind--- Vanitas wanted to tap into the darkness he left inside Riku. There was raw fear eating away at him as he thought about the request, feeling like he’d be sick right that moment. No, no, NO. That... that was just ridiculous, no way could he agree to that!

Dating Strengths

Adventurousness - 83.3%: You are willing to try new things and be spontaneous. You want to get out there and really live, and you will attract people with a similar love of life.

Generosity - 66.7%: You are a giving person by nature. Others will see this quality in you and recognize your kind nature. Take care not to let others take advantage of you.

Kindness - 63.6%: You treat other people with empathy and goodwill. This positive trait helps you stand out and draw people into your warmth. 

Flirtiness - 62.5%: Flirting is a good way to break the ice, and you are a pro at it. Being flirtatious will open up many dating opportunities. 

Financial Situation - 61.5%: You've got your financial situation under control, which is a very desirable quality. Be careful to avoid guys who are only interested in your money.

Dating Weaknesses

Temper - 62.5%: You need to work on controlling your temper. Don't let your anger get the best of you. A calm and rational persona is important when dating.

Pessimism - 50%: Too much cynicism can be a turn-off. Try to see the brighter side of things and people will be attracted to your positive outlook.

      “Yeah!” Sora gave a nod, placing his hand over Riku’s on his cheek. “We’ve made it this far by sticking together. If it’s us, we can do whatever we put our minds to.” To seal the deal, Sora leaned in and gave Riku a quick kiss on the forehead. They had to keep believing, tell themselves they wouldn’t let this break them. Not while they had each other for support.

      “If you don’t feel up to traveling, I could always do it. I’ve got the coat for it,” Sora suggested as he shrugged one shoulder. “But maybe we shouldn’t be spoiling you with nothing but salmon. You  might not eat anything else and expect salmon everyday,” Sora chuckled with one of his toothy grins. “Flounder sounds pretty good! But you know I’ll eat anything.” Sora reached over to play with a strand of Riku’s hair, idly noticing the different length. “…Hey, your hairs longer. When did that happen? … Better take better care of it, otherwise it’ll hang in your face again. Then I won’t be able to see those eyes of yours.”

       Amidst all the attention Sora was pouring over Riku, he failed to notice one thing in particular. A faint mist of darkness leaking off his figure began to collect behind him. The flow increased and more darkness manifested until it took on a vaguely humanoid figure. It had a torso, arms, and a head with seemingly spiky hair and glowing red vein-like patterns traveled along it’s body. Everything from the waist down was practically a mist and trailed off into nothing. An eerily familiar heart shaped pattern was splayed over it’s chest and two burning red orbs for eyes stared in disgust at the two of them. Despite being nearly formless it cracked open it’s ‘mouth’.

      “You two are nauseating. I can’t believe you both. We’re preparing for a war and you’re just sucking each other’s faces off. It’s no wonder you’re both unfit to fight.”

       At that Sora visibly stiffened up, whipping around to see Vanitas in the room with them. At first he was completely still, blinking a few times in bewilderment as his mind tried to process this. Sora knew Vanitas was capable of materializing outside his heart, he had done so a few times in the past when Sora refused to listen to him. But they both knew what a strain focusing all that darkness put on Sora’s heart and body. Plus, Vanitas never stuck around whenever someone was about to enter the room. Not that they could even see him anyway, as Vanitas could only focus so much power and energy to manifesting for Sora’s eyes. however Sora had a feeling that wasn’t the case this time since Vanitas was speaking to the two of them…

      Sora finally unfroze, looking between Riku and Vanitas several times before letting out a long sigh. Retracting his hand from Riku’s hair it went to Sora’s forehead instead, rubbing small circles into his temples. “…Uh… Yeah. This is a– a thing, Riku. Vanitas can–um, do this sometimes… I’m really sorry, Riku, I can try kicking him out, if you want, but honestly I don’t know if I can.”

      “Heh, maybe you’re right. Can’t have that happening, or else you might get sick of salmon and I’ll have no one else to cook it for. That sure would suck.” He gave a playful grin right back at Sora, flicking him lightly on the forehead. “Good thing I don’t intend on letting you ever get sick of my cooking. I’ll gladly cook whatever you want over salmon any day; anything to make you happy...~” Man, he was such a suck up. But he really did want to please Sora in any way that he could, and wasn’t shy in letting that be known.

      A brow quirked when Sora started observing his hair, surprised at how he was only noticing it now. Then again... he really hasn’t had a trim since moving into the Mont, other than clipping his bangs every other month. Maybe it was time for an actual cut..? “My hair grows fast, what can I say,” Riku shrugged it off for the most part, but frowned at the mention of taking care of it. “I do take care of it-- I trimmed my bangs last month! ...If it bothers you though, I don’t mind you giving me a haircut. I just haven’t had anyone to do that since moving here. Guess it’s gotten pretty long again...” 

      Everything was normal, so peaceful, and Riku was eating it right up. Oh, he so desperately needed a casual conversation like this, chatting away while they poured affections over one another. Just enough distraction to make him forget about all the bad in the worlds, if only for a moment. He was so engrossed in Sora that he hadn’t noticed the darkness either, only feeling a slight tingle against his skin and distantly noticing a sweet aroma growing. But he paid no mind to it, only focused on his friend, until a familiar voice spoke up in a way that it... not at all should have been able to.

      His head jerked up to the sight of nothing short of horrific, stiffening up just as much as Sora had. A cold feeling of dread was spreading through his heart, numbing every positive emotion that had ruled over his heart only moments ago. It all came crashing down so fast, their fragile piece of happiness shattering from the most delicate of touches. It was awful enough that somehow, some way Vanitas was showing himself outside of Sora, yet for some reason that horror wasn’t what bothered Riku most. He was a dreadful creature to look at in person, terribly unnerving as those glowing eyes pierced through him. But what hurt most... was realizing that once again, it meant their time together was over, and it was right back into the hell that had become their lives. They couldn’t... even have ten minutes together...

      Shoulders slumped and his head hung low, unable to respond to Vanitas’s remark. He didn’t have it in him to defend himself against the monster, losing all strength to do anything but sit there and take it. It hurt, more than it should have probably, but Hearts--- finally they were happy again! Finally they could have some healthy time together! But it was ruined, taken from them in an instant, crushed faster than the eye could see..! Despair licked tauntingly at his heart, darkness slowly brewing within.

      “...Yeah, I get it... Ansem used to do this to me all the time, it’s nothing unusual...” His tone was dead, eyes glued to the mattress. Why couldn’t this be a dream..? Their happiness being fabricated would be painful but... less painful than confirming they were never allowed to be happy. Why did this have to happen, why was he here, why now, why not some other time when they weren’t trying to patch up their relationship... Riku flinched at Sora’s offer to attempt to kick Vanitas out, what would have been a wonderful recommendation only driving his mood even deeper into a hole.

      “Sora no I can EXPLAIN—-”

      Sora couldn’t help the laugh bubbling up in his throat as Riku blushed. When was the last time he had seen Riku so flustered? Rather, when was Sora the cause of it? With everything that had transpired- Xehanorts ‘break up’, the darkness manifesting within Riku, and much more- the two had become regrettably distant. But today was all about fixing that, and picking up where they left off.

      Besides, Sora nearly forgot how much he loved seeing Riku like this.

      Reaching up to boop Riku on the nose Sora grinned, snuggling a little closer to him. “I am focusing on us! You’re a big part of it, ‘us’ wouldn’t even exist without you, y’know.” Teasing aside… His tone softened, going to sweep Riku’s bangs out of his eyes. “Jus’ say the word I’ll do whatever I can t’help. Okay?” Sora leaned over to press another kiss to Riku’s cheek. He changed the topic since he could tell Riku didn’t want to linger on this one any longer. “So, ah, any ideas whats for dinner tonight? I could really go for some salmon, but I don’t know if they’re in the waters this time of year or not.”

      Among their cuddling and kisses, Sora couldn’t ignore the presence in his heart growing increasingly annoyed. Why was beyond him, all Sora knew was that the longer he spent with Riku, the more aggravated the voice was becoming. But that wasn’t out of the ordinary, and Sora was certain the other would shut up eventually. It wasn’t like he was mad, just exasperated. From that, Sora knew he wasn’t in any real danger.

      Normally a boop to the nose when already flustered would only prove to embarrass Riku even further, but this time he couldn’t help but laugh at it. It was just... so normal, so Sora, and it warmed his heart to share moments like this with him again. With all that their life had become lately, he was starting to have doubts that things could ever be the way they were before. Even their down time was no more than a simple domestic lifestyle, wasting away their days just so they’d pass by quicker, until a change would finally come.

      Riku decided then that it was time they put an end to those ways. They had survived the past two years through love and support, so it’d be a terrible idea to allow the emotional distance between them to grow even further. They needed more moments like this, to enjoy their time together while they still could... for who knows what the future may hold for them. 

      He reached out to caress Sora’s cheek, a serene smile plastered on his face. Time seemed to come to a crawl, seconds dragging out eternally while Riku could do nothing more than gaze lovingly into his friend’s eyes. He truly loved this time together, and would give anything for it to never end... A short nod was his only response to the offer of help at first, but after a few moments longer he finally broke out of his daze enough to formulate words. “Thanks, Sora... I promise I’ll let you know if there’s anything you can do. ...I know we’ll get through this together, just like we always do.”

@guardianofdawn

      Mwaaaah ♥       How long had it been since the two of them had any private time together? No Xehanort’s, no Vanitas, just the two of them laying around in bed enjoying each other’s presence. Talking about nothing and everything, whatever was on their mind. Sora took every opportunity he had to pepper Riku in kisses to make up for the lost time.

      “Mm, I really missed this. Been awhile since we had the chance to relax. … How’re you feeling? Anything I can do?”

      If he were to be perfectly honest, this whole thing felt... more like a dream than anything. Sure, there had been a surprising amount of normalcy in their lives ever since ‘settling down’ in the Mont, but it felt like ages since they’d been truly at peace like this. No interruptions, no tension, no hiding anything from each other... It was just the two of them lying together, with all the time in the worlds. Nothing could make Riku happier than he was in that moment.

      He returned the kisses eagerly, face only breaking out into a blush when he realized how attention starved he was acting. It wasn’t his fault that he was feeling so needy lately, but he couldn’t deny the embarrassment nonetheless. He decided it best to break away when Sora started talking in order preserve a bit of his dignity, though the smile remained bright on his face, even if growing a tad strained at the nature of the question. “Not much better, really... Doubt there’s anything that can be done either. But that doesn’t matter now.”

@guardianofdawn

      Everything ached. Vanitas had to give it to the Master, he still knew where to make it hurt after all these years.

      A dark corridor sprung to life in the Mont. One of the rooms, Vanitas didn’t care which. All he knew was that he needed to get back before his insides spilled out (not that they would, but it sure felt like they could). Slow and unsteady footsteps shuffled through, his boots scrapping against the floor at an agonizing pace. Arms were clutched tightly around his torso. One arm pressed just below his left rib cage, trying to keep anymore blood from spilling from a large gash. The opposite hand kept to his right shoulder as his dark suit was ripped open and it still hadn’t recovered. The rest of his body was littered in various cuts, scrapes, bruises, you name it, he had it.

      It was all his fault for looking like a literal wreck. Somehow, Vanitas could only imagine how, the Master caught wind of Riku’s… condition. The strange darkness growing inside him, and how it apparently grew a conscience. The only reason the darkness was allowed to grow was due to Vanitas’s old excessive use of it, or so the Master seemed to think. Back in the day when he was actively trying to get Riku under his thumb as a pawn. He knew he it was reckless of him to shove so much darkness into one body, but at the time he only cared about getting what he wanted, and that was someone far more competent than the Unversed. It got to the point where all Vanitas had to do was manipulate the darkness within Riku and he would melt under his touch. But after the incident on the islands, Vanitas refused to be anywhere near Riku and didn’t dare try any of his old tricks.

       Of course his refusal meant nothing to the Master. As far as the old coot was concerned, one of the Guardians of Light wasn’t very Light anymore and was barely in any condition to battle. Certainly not with another dark conscience growing within him. What did the Master do to let Vanitas know he screwed up? Same thing he always did. Haul him off to the Graveyard and beat him down into the dust. As if such abuse would prevent Vanitas from fucking up again in the future, or at least not be a hinder to the war plans. Learn your lesson sort of thing.

      Either way, it had been years since Vanitas last felt the taste of the Master’s Keyblade tearing apart his flesh. Slicing through skin, and only stopping when he looked ready to pass out. Strangely enough, he could only think of one thing by the time the Master was finished with him. With all the wounds decorating his body, even the dark suit couldn’t re-patch itself in time.

      Sora’s never going to let me out again.

      Vanitas’s knees hit the floor when he was back at the Mont. For a moment he wished he had potions on hand but catching himself. Why would he want potions? He never used them in the past. Why would now be any different? Because this was Sora’s body and he had to take care of it? If he used a potion, then the pain would go away. Pain kept him alive, pain kept him going. These new wounds would only serve as another reminder to keep going until his salvation. Making them go away would just erase all that. He wouldn’t have learned anything from the Master.

      Gritting his teeth Vanitas dug his fingers into the gash on his side, letting out a hiss mixed with a groan. That’s right, he deserved this He was the one who fucked up, he ruined their plans in favor of his own selfish desires. Silly, stupid Vanitas, he had lost sight of his goal! The Master was just reminding him of that! Keep working for the X-Blade to achieve salvation. No time for his own agenda. Just fight through the pain, it kept him alive, he was used to this–

      “FUCK!” A yell involuntarily tore from his throat, doubling over. Too deep, he edged his fingers in too deep. Needless to say he ripped them out of his wound immediately, and the hasty exit only caused a spasm to shake his body. Vanitas didn’t dare try to move, oh no. He was just going to lay there in a crumpled heap on the floor, cursing his own existence.

      Maybe if he was lucky he would pass out for a little while. Just a  minor distraction from this torture. Surely he was allowed to slip unconscious… maybe his wounds get worse and he wouldn’t have to wake up.. Hah, imagine that. The Master smashing his corpse as punishment for dying before he could get the X-Blade. Knowing the Master, he would find a way to bring him back to scold him. Not beat him, oh no.

      Living again would be the real punishment.

      It had been a quiet day for Riku, with Sora having been strangely absent ever since he woke up. Sure, he'd been waking up later than normal these days, but Sora was always there waiting for him when he woke. To find himself alone in bed this morning was concerning enough on its own, but not running into him at all while searching the Mont for him had Riku nearly in a panic. There seemed to be no sign of Xehanort either, which was admittedly a bit strange as well, but nowhere near as unusual as Sora's disappearance. Both of them being gone was... very concerning.

      But try as he might, Riku just couldn't seem to sense anything amiss. If there was anything wrong with Sora, he would know-- he always knew... right? So he should be okay, in theory... Maybe he and Xehanort were just out fishing, or maybe getting some groceries from another world... Without the slightest clue where he could have run off to willingly, nor any indication of danger, Riku had to convince himself to calm down for a while. Give them the benefit of the doubt for now, and if neither of them were back by dinner, then he could start on his wild goose chase.

      He had wandered off to the study in the meantime, desperate to find something to distract himself with. There really wasn't much else for him to do; he'd eaten lunch by now, and it was far too early to begin work on dinner, so hanging around in the kitchen was pointless. Lazing around in the bedroom was too lonely for him to handle in his current state of paranoia, and he still didn't feel well enough yet to go out anywhere on his own. So he skimmed through the selection of books, hoping to find something that could perhaps help with his condition, or give better ways to deal with the physical symptoms that came with it, though anything remotely interesting would be appreciated. 

      He wound up thumbing through a cook book in the end, looking for anything that sounded appealing for dinner. Xehanort was a better cook than him, but with the two of them out all day, it'd be nice of him to try making something special to welcome them back... Or, well, welcome Sora back, mostly. Xehanort could go scratch if he wanted to make something 'better' for himself.

      Sadly his search was cut short, feeling a headache brewing as he read. The dim light of the study was suddenly too bright, making his vision distort as the light engulfed and blurred everything it touched. It quickly overwhelmed him, and he concluded there was no possible way to keep reading when he could hardly see straight. There was no choice but to retreat to his room, close the curtains and hide under the blankets until it passed. Maybe he'd just make stuffed squid...

      The walk back to his room was agonizing. Every step Riku took was more unsteady than the last, to the point it was a miracle he was able to keep his balance. But as he got closer to the room, something felt... off. He couldn't tell what it was, but something he was sensing made his heart race, and he unknowingly picked up his pace, practically running the rest of the way down the hall. His hand was shaking when he finally reached out to the door and he slowly creaked it open, fear of whatever this feeling was finally catching up to him. 

               Blood... blood.... so much blood.... Hearts, no, oh lord, please no---

      Panic clawed deeper into Riku's heart, momentarily unable to fathom anything more than the sheer horror of seeing Sora covered in so much blood..! But a mere minute later he processed the sight of what he was wearing, and his heart clenched. Feelings conflicted upon recognizing it; the panic grew for a multitude of reasons this time, although the genuine concern still remained.

      “V...Vanitas..?!” He could hardly get it out, throat tight as he was rendered entirely speechless. This was... this was all so nightmarish, was it real, was it really happening..? Or did he collapse on his way to the bedroom, and this was all a nightmare..? Riku couldn't find an answer to that, spiraling deeper into his whirling train of thoughts, speeding faster and faster to its inevitable crash. This was so, so wrong... Please, let this be a dream, please..!

      As much as he would have loved to stand there and gawk as he tried to rationalize the situation, he couldn't; not with Vanitas practically bleeding out on the floor. Hardly conscious of his actions, Riku went running towards him, dropping to his knees. The stench was so strong he had to hold back gags as the smell of blood and darkness mingled and assaulted his nose. The darkness on its own didn't even smell pleasant to his compromised senses, it just smelt... rotten. 

      No, no, that wasn't a good scent, this was bad..! He felt magnetized to Vanitas, the need to protect him-- no, the body--- overcoming the nausea and his own emotional turmoil over the monster. He had to help, no matter what, even if it was Vanitas in control. Riku fumbled around blindly in his pockets for an elixir, not thinking straight enough to immediately know the lack of anything in them. Of course, he never carried any when hanging around the Mont; he didn't even think there were any left in the nightstand either. He'd have to burn up his energy to use a cure potion... Nghh, that'd take time to conjure-- Vanitas needed help!