you'll know where i am

★ Continued from here! @seaglassxmaster​

     A sharp hiss left his lips as the officer fussed over the state of his injured arm. Regular criminals were far more volatile than what he was used to dealing with; those who abused the powers of Buddyfight relied on their cards instead of their fists. Even then he’d made a rookie mistake and allowed the rogue to get in a cheap shot.

     Reckless and desperate in the pursuit of justice. How far he had fallen from his status as a Boy Wonder cop. What would Gao think if he saw Tasuku now?

     His ruby eyes trained on the soft glow emitting from Aqua’s hands skeptically; it didn’t feel like Future Force, or even Disaster Force. Whatever it was, Tasuku could feel the injury slowly repair itself as she worked, a soft warmth enveloping him until the light faded. Tentatively he moved the appendage, the searing pain from earlier having dulled to almost nothing. At the very least he wouldn’t catch hell from Jack later.

     As the officer gave him a light scolding for infringing on police business, Tasuku couldn’t help but feel a pang of deeply repressed anger in his heart. Even now he was still being treated as no more than a child. Having worked on the Buddy Police force for a fair number of years, he was a professional in his own right. Yet no matter what he did to prove himself, no denizen of this place acknowledged his efforts. It wasn’t fair.

“I did have that handled.” Aqua pursed her lips. “I’ve faced worse than this. Rough or not, he wasn’t going to escape.” 

The words weren’t exactly hopeful. ‘I won’t regret getting involved’ was not the kind of statment that bode well for someone meant to be protected by the police department, after all. 

“As both an officer of the law, and someone who’s been in your position before, I have to pass you this one and only warning. Interfere again, without being officially enlisted with our department, and I will enforce a consequence. I’m not ungrateful; few people have the kind of courage you possess. But this is my responsibility to bear; not yours.”

Ella hadn’t noticed the stare or the overflowing of the kettle. She had jumped straight into action the moment the other had asked her to do something. She had filed through the cabinet and pulled out the tea tin and walked over to her a little less hurriedly after she had gently closed the cabinets. “ Do be careful. If that water was hot you could’ve burned your hand!” She held out the tea for the other. “ Well, it’s so good to hear everyone’s doing good! I was so worried for so long.” She looked down at the tea and held it a little closer to her. “ I have no clue about my animal friends. I can only really hope.” She smiled and looked at her. “ But having hope. Is really all we can do here right?”  Ella looked down at the chair and forced herself to pull one out and sit down. She looked up at the other brushing back a stray strand of blonde hair. “ You have been alone as well? How long? That seems rather lonesome. I’ll just have to come to see you every day then.” 

Aqua froze at the question, staring down at the opened tea box and its cute little packages. Her heart quivered in fear, and her blood pounded in her ears. She glanced into the mirror-shine glass of her cabinet; over her shoulder stood a phantom of her own, watching with hungry, golden eyes--

She shut her eyes tight. Swallowed once, hard, and slowly blinked them back open.

The phantom was gone. If she’d ever been there to begin with. 

“I...The Realm of Darkness.” She forced the words from her mouth, trying to find her footing again. “I was trapped there for um--well...a while. That’s why I didn’t try to visit sooner.” 

She cleared her throat as the kettle steamed, and quickly poured and put the tea bags into the mugs to let the steep. With her free hand, Aqua scratched the side of her neck, prickles of uncertainty rankling under her skin. 

You’re welcome here, she wanted to say, whenever you’d like. But that was far too close to vulnerability, and Aqua still felt as if her phantom were watching her just within the shadows, waiting for a chance to strike. The burn of that gaze made her skin crawl terribly.

Cinderella gasped as they walked into the building. “Oh I live in this building too! Or rather I just found myself moving in. ” Once they made it to the others apartment and began to set things down. She looked back over her shoulder at the other. “Oh well I was in a wonderful place called Radiant Garden for a while after my world fell to darkness. I was there for quite a few years before I just kind of… found myself here? Its only been a tiny bit.”

Ella looked about and began to wander the apartment and gently let her fingers trace over the edges of furniture. Absentmindedly she took her hair down from the ponytail and began to put it up into a messy bun as she looked back at the other. “What of you? What became of my wonderful knight in shining armor when you left? I never thought id see you again. Or Ven or Terra either for that matter. Are they here as well?”

She tilted her head as she finished putting up her hair and folded her hands politely behind her back. She stood idly. Ella had no clue how to sit idly while someone else did the work. She had to pace. Or be curious about her surroundings in the least. “ Ah– Sorry if i’m asking too many questions.” She flushed and covered her mouth.

“How lucky!” Aqua laughed softly, easily, which startled her. How hard was it for her to be so...carefree like this? She couldn’t recall the last time it’d happened; Ai and Adachi could get her to laugh, but it took some work, and it never left her feeling...

...Somehow lighter for it. Weird...she thought to herself.

“I guess we’re neighbors, then. That’s a relief, I really didn’t like the thought of you out alone...”

She listened To Cinderella’s story and nodded along. Her hands faltered at the mention of Cinderella’s world falling--she bit her tongue to keep from replying. I know. I was...there for the aftermath. Seeing that palace, shrouded in Darkness like that--

She’d been so scared. The idea of Cinderella and her little mice friends alone, preyed upon by Heartless, had driven her to running when she hadn’t been exhausted to do it. Before the Realm of Darkness and its monsters had sucked the fear out of her, replacing it with a chilling numbness that haunted her still. 

“I’ve been there,” Aqua said. “To Radiant Garden, I mean.” She blushed at hearing herself compared to a knight, and opened her mouth to protest such a claim when she found herself distracted by Cinderella’s actions. From a ponytail to a bun, the effortless grace in her motions--

The kettle overflowed and Aqua yelped, turning off the sink and correcting her mistake. The heat in her face only increased; embarrassment flooded her. 

Stop getting distracted, idiot! She’s talking to you!

“--Oh! Um, well. Um. That’s a bit of a long story--” Aqua managed, pouring out excess water and safely setting it on the stove. She chanced another look and saw in Cinderella a type of anxiety she hadn’t anticipated. Her heart ached; perhaps Cinderella...needed to help. 

Ella smiled and took the bag anyhow. The other female was stubborn but she was just as stubborn. She looked at the other with a sly smile and a gleam in her eyes. Her eyes seeming to say ‘I can be strong too, yknow.’     Looking at the girl a bit more deeply in thought now her smile faded into something a bit more sincere. “ Well thank you, for thinking me a princess. Though I still think i’m far from one. I do have to say you make me feel like one.” She couldn’t help but look onward and her cheeks flushed a tinge of pink. “But tea would be lovely! I could make you some cookies too if you’d like me too? “ 

“Wha--hey!” 

Aqua couldn’t help but laugh as her bag was stolen from her, though she refrained from taking it back. Honestly, if she tried it, she might get her groceries back in her face; Cinderella looked like she meant business. 

“Fine, fine,” Aqua relented with a sigh. “But, I’ll say no to the cookies. If only because I still have some leftover brownies from the other day, and I try not to keep too many sweets on hand.”

...Mostly because if anyone at the station found out she baked, she knew she’d be on snack duty. And, Aqua had to admit to herself, she wouldn’t even fight that hard against it. The trip back to Black Spade Apartments was quick, and Aqua was opening up the door to her apartment soon enough. 

SEND ‘🖤’ FOR MY MUSE TO SAY SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT YOURS.

BONUS: SEND ‘❤️+🖤’ FOR BOTH

As a naturally cynical person, Cloud expected this to happen sooner or later. Names really could be deceiving, and now ‘Wonderland’ didn’t seem all that fitting for the strange little place it was. Strange as it was, it always was peaceful; it just so happened that there was such an eccentric mix of people in their population. Nonetheless, something always kept him interested.

Mako gaze darted towards the brunette as he spoke up. His usual bubbly personality seemed to have diminished at that very moment, unraveling a concerned man at the news. A little too concerned if you asked him. Whatever it was, it gave off an awkward vibe. Blonde brows furrowed together as Cloud continued to study his every feature, all before being knocked back into a different subject by Sasuke speaking up. Maybe you’re overthinking it.

“That’s not a very killer joke.”

He grumbled, mostly to himself. It wasn’t the most appropriate comment to make at the moment, but maybe it would have gotten Adachi to shut up for once. He crossed his arms against his chest, leaning back against his chair–his usual disinterested look taking over his features. 

“So we have our very own serial killer. Do we have any suspects yet?”

The tension in the room was stifling, nearly as bad as the humid heat of the evening. Aqua kept her arms folded around herself, tense and nearly trembling. It wasn’t just the news that had her heart thudding, though she’d be lying if she said the idea of a killer out on the streets wasn’t terrifying on its own. 

Everyone was on edge. Adachi’s goofy nature was slackened, something haunting in the tone of his voice reminding Aqua too much of Ven just before the fight with Vanitas; Sasuke and Cloud were quicker to snap. There was a current of Darkness, here, something nearly tangible. 

Her heart ached. 

It took her a moment or two to remember how to breathe, and she exhaled through her nose. At Cloud’s question, she shook her head. Even if she’d come across...a few of the crime scenes themselves, it was forensics that really dealt with the bodies. Aqua had been more involved with home invasions.