tall_dark_and | a day's rest and retreat ; twilight town

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a day's rest and retreat ; twilight town

Our scene is set in the World That Never Was, sometime in the morning. Or at least, what passes well enough for morning - it's not as if the lighting changes, but it is sometime after people wake up, at least.

The specific setting for this venture is in Namine's Tower, where a dark path is opening. Out of this steps Riku. Today is the day that Riku and Namine have planned to take a trip to another world, and he wanted to come as early as possible. Partially in case they run into any problems, and -- well. Partially because he would just like to spend as much time with her as possible.

He has prepared for the occasion, and this fact is obvious from one glance at him. Riku has taken the trouble to ditch his usual outfit, and get ahold of something nicer. Hanging around Hollow Bastion for a few hours can prove to be a beneficial venture. It earned him some nice slacks, and a white dress shirt. His hair is pulled back into a simple ponytail.

That is not all the preperation he has done. His left hand is hiding somethng behind his back - but what could it possibly be?

"Namine?" he asks, his voice a little hesitant and soft.

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It would not be a lie to say that Naminé was anticipating this day ever since Riku first suggested this idea to her and she accepted.

She could barely sleep last night and when she returned to her tower shortly after their time in the library, she felt so happy that nothing and no one could spoil her mood that evening -- not even the Organization.

She kneels by a large box, returning some of the items that had been on the floor. She lifts her carrying bag and shakes it a bit so that all the contents within it (art materials mostly, stuffed to the brim) re-arrange themselves into order.

So focused on her task at hand is she that when she hears her name being called, she's startled. Quickly she stands and sees Riku on the other side of the room.

It's all wide smiles and waves as Naminé beckons him over.

Ah, she is here. Riku feels a little relieved - though he's not sure why. It's not as if she would skip out on this, or anything.

But he guesses that everyone has irrational fears, sometimes.

He crosses the room towards her. "This is for you," he says, taking his hand from being his back, and holding out a red rose.

It's not much, but he hopes it's the thought that counts.

Naminé's bright blue eyes just seem to get brighter as she accepts the beautiful flower.

She swears she can almost feel a pounding in her chest -- but it's probably just her imagination.

"It's beautiful, Riku, thank you!" she says gratefully, her cheeks growing warm and pink. She smiles at him, then rises to her tip-toes (as she is a little shorter than he) to give him a kiss on the cheek, soft and light.

Riku's cheeks flush a little at the kiss, and he gives her a bit of a silly smile. "Not quite as beautiful as you," he says.

Saying that is corny as hell, but somehow it feels... required.

Her face feels even warmer, now; she finds herself putting her hands up to her cheeks as though to cool them down.

She's never received a compliment like that before from anyone. Everything -- all of this -- is so new to her. All these strange feelings, this happiness, this notion of being relaxed and care-free whenever she's with Riku. She can't help but giggle just a little.

How different she has become and only in the span of a couple of days!

"You dressed up today," she observes, noticing his attire -- which, she thinks, makes him look wonderful. Gentlemanly, distinguished, and -- she tries not to blush so obviously again -- so very attractive.

She briefly looks down at her own dress and frowns. Well, one dress or not, she'll just have to make do.

"Yeah," Riku says, with a bit of a nervous laugh. "I figured I didn't want to walk around there with the cloak on."

Except that he always wore something underneath the cloak, so he could have gone with that. A pretty obvious fact, but that's okay.

She nods, bending down to pick up her bag, then she hoists it over one shoulder. It's a little heavier than she expects but it's nothing she can't handle. And it will be worth it -- all the things she'll see today with her own eyes! To be able touch, and smell and learn.

Turning to Riku, Namine smiles. "It suits you," she says, blushing anyway then turning her eyes embarrassedly to the floor.

Riku wonders if it's possible to go through even a minute around her without blushing at least once.

It's not possible at the moment, in any case.

"Um, thank you," he says, really not sure of what else to say. He's good at dealing compliments, but receiving them? Yeah, not so much... at least, not anymore.

He does make a mental note to try to dress up around her more often, though.

That goes for the both of them. Namine didn't even know what blushing was like before Riku. And now -- now she can't stop, even if she wants to.

She giggles in regards to Riku's rather bashful response, bringing the rose up towards her nose to take in the sweet scent. Oh, what a wonderful gift.

Then she looks up once more at his face a little shyly. "So...are we ready to leave?" she asks.

"Yes," Riku says. "I think so."

He holds his hand out to her.

She takes it, feeling that familiar tingle run up her arm from his touch.

Her fingers tighten only slightly around his hand, and she smiles.

Riku squeezes her hand gently, before using his free hand to open a dark path.

"Through there," he says, as if it's not obvious, and walks towards the opening.

Being guided along, linked by hands, Namine follows, stepping through the opening with ease. She's used to the dark paths, being an avid user of them herself, and she isn't surprised by the effects of walking through one to get from one place to another.

The only difference here is that instead of using the dark paths to escape, or to hide away from danger and hostility it serves a different purpose this time, one far more pleasant -- even if it is still an escape.

And here they are. Twilight Zone, right by in the train station. They're came out a bit lucky, as nobody seems to be looking their way - so there won't be any uncomfortable questions.

"Well," he says, with a bit of a grin. "We're here."

As if that wasn't obvious.

Namine blinks, taking in her surroundings with wide eyes. There are people walking this way and that, busy with their own lives. The sound of the train somewhere nearby, clicking along the tracks. The sound of birds, water, laughter. It's all so amazing! A young boy skates past them on his skateboard.

Her lips are parted as though to gawk, but she isn't the gawking type. "It's...magnificent!" she breathes as her hand tightens around Riku's. She turns to look at him, practically beaming. "Thank you for taking me here," she says.

"Thank you for coming," Riku says, in return. It's been something for him to look forward to, after all - which has been far too rare these days.

"Ready to head outside?"

"Mmhmm!" She nods enthusiastically.

She re-adjusts her bag on her other shoulder, then lets Riku lead her.

Although she's a little frightened at all the new things she's never seen with her own eyes, she'll be brave because Riku's here.

It can be noted that she does stay rather close to him.

Riku does note tbat - but he's not really going to complain about the lack of distance, here.

"If you look over here," he says, leading her outside and over to the railing. "You can see so far off into the distance."

It's a wonderful view, really.

She gasps, one hand immediately going towards her mouth. The view really is quite beautiful.

"I've never seen anything so...pure," she says softly.

Quickly, she lets go of Riku's hand to dig into her bag. She pulls out her sketchpad and a pencil, flips it open to a blank page, and quickly begins to draw what she sees.

Riku leans on the railing. "I have," he says, quietly. He's... not looking at the scenery. At the moment, his gaze is focused solely on her.

She glances up from her sketch for a moment to look at him, curious to know what he means. She notices that he's looking straight at her, almost as though he can read every part of her like an open book. And, she thinks, perhaps there is a chance that he can, but this doesn't scare her in the slightest.

Her cheeks turn pink, and her lips form a sort of soft, almost enigmatic smile. Quickly she tries to look away; at the same time her pencil slips from her fingers and rolls off the page, landing on the ground.

Riku reachs down for the pencil, and holds it out to her without quite straightening up. "I believe this is yours," he says, with a trace of a smile as well.

Slowly, she takes it from him. "Thank you," she says, voice soft. Then she giggles. "I don't know why I keep dropping it whenever you're around."

But, of course, she has an idea.

"I'll have to start dropping something as well," Riku says, a teasing tone to his voice. "Just to keep it even."

She begins to resume drawing once more, but she laughs. "Maybe," she says, her voice taking on a similar teasing tone, too.

Her eyes begin to quickly scan her subject once more -- she looks up, then back down at her sketchpad, her hand moving up and down, and across the page, filling in the negative space with positive solids until the scene slowly begins to form on paper.

She smiles when she's near finished, tilting it slightly so Riku can see if he so wishes.

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