sirenspull | voice;

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voice;

[The NV is on, for all that there is silence in the background. There's no sound, no breathing, no moving or walking to be heard. This goes on for a minute, almost two, before someone finally speaks into the device.]

Ritsuka Aoyagi has died.

[For all that the news will be devastating to those who knew Ritsuka, Riku's voice is decidedly calm, hollow as he speaks. It's probably taken him some time to even say this much to the network about what's happened only an hour or so prior to the post. He doesn't know if he can bring himself to talk about the details or what possibly transpired, though he knows he should.]

Those patches of Darkness... Someone said he was caught.

[A lie, he suspects. One he'll be looking into, if only to find out who saw it happen, who left him to die alone, so that he'll finally have someone else to blame besides himself.

He lapses into silence again before he speaks once more, regarding the NV and its open post as an afterthought.]

I'm sorry.

[And then he turns off the device.]

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[There's an incredulous pause- and a feeling that's too familiar, a little too much like just a few weeks ago, when Xion made that frantic call from the apartment.]

Wait, what?!

[Only there's too much definite in his voice. Too much hollow and quiet. He sort of hates that side of Riku as much as the wiser occasions when it crops up in himself- that steadiness of shut-off acceptance.

Joe has a much harder time with it. His darkness is wild and rails against the walls. There's some difficulty in his sigh, hard and heavy.]

What, Riku, what happened? Did the school call?

....are you okay?

[Riku doesn't respond at first. He'd love nothing more than to either go home and shut off his NV or to just find out who saw it now and deal with them. He has to wait until the morning at the very least, though.]

He didn't come home and I called him. Then I called the school.

[A teacher who had seen it happen said she was going to call.]

Do you... Um...

[Okay. Deep breath. Maybe it's a bad idea to go out darkness exploring tonight like it's a sport, when Riku's good friend just died, awfully. Poor Ritsuka. He's toughed it out for what feels like forever.

There's a lot he wants to ask- did they even try to call an ambulance? Why would Ritsuka walk in the shadows? Hadn't he heard about all the warnings?

But instead he tries the lame, supportive one. It creeps out even expecting a reply that knows it's obligatory.

How could he not, though? When Riku's worked hard and done everything for them, since they've come to city.]

Is there anything I can do?

No.

[He doesn't want sympathy or comfort. What he wants, as cruel and selfish as it is, is for someone to pay for this. Barring that, he wants Ritsuka back.]

Just don't let anyone else get hurt.

Yeah.

[And this is not a lip service, not a sarcastic fight, he's nodding woodenly to himself in accord and remembering all of his own promises, and he swallows at the feeling that's welling up.]

Yeah. I'll do that. Riku-

[It's stupid, to resent pulling up on the mature straps and hanging tight to the stuff that matters, instead of running off and doing his own thing. Not now, of all times. So he accepts that charge, because he's done it before, and he can certainly try his best to protect his friends.]

...I'll be extra careful for everyone, okay?

[It could be lip service. From anyone else, he might believe it to be. But Joe is made after his heart, his data, and he knows that this isn't so trivial to him. This is a promise to keep people safe, something the both of them understand.

He makes a sound of understanding.]

Okay.

[A pause.]

And you too.

Don't worry about me. [Whatever happened to Ritsuka's more than enough to worry about. But soon he'll be showing up back at the diamond, right?] I'm just as strong as you are.

[And just as weak, he wishes to say. He doesn't, though. Instead, he lets that comment go.]

Right.

... Riku?

[Where are you? She doesn't say it out loud, but the worried tone in her voice should be enough.]

[He tries desperately to say I'm fine, don't worry, everything will be okay, and he can't even form the words in his head, much less say them.]

I'll be home later.

[Riku. But she knows it's how he deals with things right now. She'll give him some space for now.]

... okay, I'll wait.

... I'm sorry, Riku.

I'm sorry too.

[He contains his sigh.]

I won't be out long. I promise.

[He just needs to get away for a little while.]

I know, I understand. Be careful, okay?

I will.

[Riku comes home only four hours later, opening and closing the door to their home as quietly as he can. He's not really sure how he's going to deal with being here, with Ritsuka's room being down the hall, now empty.

Sure, he might come back. But will he still be the same? Will he be all right? His head's spinning with uncertainties as he slides his shoes off at the door (in case he's brought anything in with him). He heads back towards the kitchen for some water.]

[She's actually there waiting for him, sitting on the table with a mug of hot milk with a notebook and her pen in a hand. Though when he comes in, she automatically looks up. Asking him if he's okay won't even help at this point because she knows he's not, and won't be for a while.

It doesn't help her with her worry though.]

... hey, Riku. Do you need anything?

[He grabs a glass and pours himself some filtered water, careful to make sure there's no Darkness rot in it. Good things about having money: being able to use water at night. He looks over at her tiredly, shaking his head.]

No, I'm all right.

[He turns the knob and the water shuts off. Every part of him screams to keep walking, go to his room, not to stay here with her...

...but he also knows he's promised to stop running, especially from them. Riku sighs, closing his eyes for a moment. He doesn't move from where he is, his hands gripping the side of the counter. He says nothing for several moments, and right when he looks like he'll leave, he forces himself to go join her at the table. He sits beside her.]

I wish, sometimes, that this place would be just a bad dream.

[Her hand automatically reaches over to rest on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.]

I heard people say it's a second chance to them, and if it weren't for this place, they wouldn't have met certain people.

[She pauses, before nodding.]

Though you're right. There are moments when I wish I was just dreaming.

[The memories of the plague still haunt her sometimes.]

I know it's a second chance. Look at Xion, Roxas, Namine, and Joe.

[But this isn't the world he wants for them. They deserve so much better. It's not fair.]

I'm tired of people dying and disappearing.

[She really doesn't know what else to say to that because she knows it's true. Instead she gets up and wraps her arms properly around his shoulders in a hug.]

I'm sorry.

[Oh no...

He'd been worried something like this might've happened to one of his friends. But this strikes irrefutably close to home.]

Riku...

[There's a silence after that, a sad, sympathetic silence. Riku doesn't say much. But Sora doesn't need to hear it to know it's an awful blow right to his heart. He's really hurting. First Namine. And now Ritsuka? Nothing really matters right now, except getting to his friend. Work can wait.]

Where are you?

Edited 2012-06-21 03:03 (UTC)

[With Namine dying and Ansem hurting Sora, he's been extra vigilant, watching over all of them when he's been able to. But Ritsuka's never wanted Riku to do that. He wishes he had been there somehow.

He grits his teeth when Sora responds, mostly out of pain. He closes his eyes.]

I'll be home later.

[He doesn't want to be seen like this. Not when he's still contemplating hunting down the people who were possibly responsible for this.]

[At times, Sora can be oblivious. He can miss things that are in plain sight. But other times, he can pick up hints. Riku could be going off to spend time time alone... or he might be doing something that he could use a second pair of eyes.]

Need some help?

[And he certainly doesn't want Riku to go through it alone.]

Edited 2012-06-24 04:36 (UTC)

[He could do it alone. In fact, he mostly wants to. Ritsuka was his friend first and it's his fault he's gone. Besides, does he really want Sora to see him like this, to see what he might do when given the chance?

No, he doesn't. But there's something to be said for friendship. He's not running away from Sora's help any longer. He promised.]

...Yeah, I do.

[He takes a moment to collect himself and then he sends Sora directions on his NV.]

Head down to his school. I'll meet you there.

[A firm nod. It's the least he can do. Riku was someone who considered the safety of his friends his personal responsibility. And for someone like Ritsuka, who was a very dear friend, to disappear or be caught up in the Darkness like that? It must be hitting him hard.]

I'll be there soon.

[A small moment of silence, just a breath.]

And Riku?

[He starts to put the NV down, but then he pauses when he hears Sora speak up.]

...Yeah?

Sorry. About Ritsuka.

I know he was really important.

[An understatement.]

It's...

['It's okay' doesn't work here and he knows it. He sighs softly into his hand.]

...Thanks. I'm still-- I'm still working on it.

[Still working on dealing with it.]

[It's likely something he'll be working on for a long time.

Sora's tone is even, but firm.]

We'll figure out what really happened.

[And make sure it doesn't happen to any of their friends again.]

Hey, ah... Look, I didn't know Ritsuka really--I mean I think we talked like... once. But that still sucks. Holler if you need anything, okay?

It's okay.

[It's not, but his response is automatic. It's all he can say.]

I'll be fine.

[A pause.]

...Thanks, though.

[He knows it's not okay, it's a robotic response they've all given at one point or another. He just gives Riku a nod and says nothing more before the feed cuts. Riku knows how to find him if he needs an ear.]

...He died?

_{[Sure, it's been a little while since Ciel spoke to Ritsuka, but he still considered the boy a friend. One of the few he had left. Needless to say, Ciel feels like vomiting.]}

Yeah, he did.

[He wishes he could give some kind of sympathy, but he really can't. Not right now.]

I...I see.

_{[Ciel can't. He can't deal right now.]}

Thank you.

_{[And with that the feed is cut. There wasn't anything else to be said.]}

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