tall_dark_and | absences and distractions ; the witch's tower

Riku's been away from the tower for far too long. He can't spend every day there, as much as he would like to - there's debts that he has to pay back, and goals that he has to achieve.

The last mission, so to speak, has taken him a few weeks. It feels like much longer, with each day longer than the last. He never thought he'd get so attached to someone - at least not in a capacity other than frend. He certainly never thought someone would get this attached to him.

He's more than a little tired. He's been up for twenty-five hours or so, and he's about ready to crash.... or at least, he should be. But despite the fact DiZ had taken one look at him and promptly ordered him straight to bed, he can't seem to sleep. All he does is toss and turn. He thinks he knows the cure - if only he can manage to sneak out.

But why couldn't he sneak out, anyway? It's not as if DiZ was his father.

He casts an apprehensive glance at the door, and then raises his hand to call a darkpath. And when there's no sound of someone coming to interrupt him, he jumps up from the bed, and hops through it, before anyone can possibly try to stop him.

...too bad he didn't take the time to check himself out before hopping through, because he kind of ends up hitting the ground of Namine's tower in his bedclothes. But boxers and a tshirt was... totally suitable visiting gear.

Honestly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She giggles. "Fairies?"

With a shake of her head, she gets up from her seat. "Well, like I said...we don't have to draw anymore if you don't want to. I'm sure the fairies gave you...talent in other things if they took away your ability to draw." She smiles.

"Think of another activity," Riku says, "And I'll do my best to serve."

Just as long as it doesn't involve a pencil. He thinks that pencils may be banned for the week.

"What would you like to do, Riku?" she asks instead, taking the necessary steps to get to the left-side of his seat.

"I have no idea," Riku admits, with a bit of a laugh. "I'm very tired."

But the one thing that he does not want to do is sleep. He wants to stay awake and alert, so he can spend time with her. Sleep was for losers!

"You're tired?" she asks, watching his face. "You don't look very tired."

She leans over slightly. Her fingers trail along his neck.

"I haven't slept in a long while."

Riku's hardly concerned with that, though. At least, she's doing a good job at giving a hint of distraction.

But he's curious as to what she might do, so he's going to play hard to get for just a little longer.

"Maybe you should close your eyes for a moment, then," she says, her hand moving from his neck to his eyelids in an attempt to close them.

"I won't sleep," Riku warns, but he complies. If only for a moment.

She giggles. "I'll keep you awake," she says, before moving to stand behind him, her hand drawing away from his eyes.

She leans over his shoulder to press her lips gently against his cheek.

Riku smiles.

"I don't think that'll do it," he says. "Though it is nice."

She smiles against his cheek, but doesn't respond. Instead she begins a trail of kisses down the length of his face to his neck, brushing his silvery hair back. Her arms drape across him, gentle and strangely possessive at the same time.

Naminé isn't quite herself right now.

Riku exhales, his breath becoming a little short from the treatment. He's not going to be able to play passive for long - in fact, he can't even remember the point of it, anymore.

"You're acting a little different today," he comments. He takes ahold of her hand, placing a kiss on the wrist.

She giggles. "Am I?" There is a short pause before she says, "I guess I feel more comfortable whenever I'm with you."

"I'm glad," Riku says, softly.

He pulls gently at her arm. "Let me see you," he says. "It's been too long."

She takes the steps necessary to stand once more in front of him, a smile on her face.

Riku wraps his arms around her waist, leaning in close. With her standing and him sitting down, it's a strange and mismatched hug - but he doesn't seem to notice. He just wants to be close to her right now.

"Oh, Riku," she says softly, her arms resting on his shoulders, one hand rubbing his back.

Riku smiles against the fabric of her dress.

"Sorry," he says, but it's obvious that there's really no apology behind the word at all. "I like touch."

Whether it was shoves or prods or hugs or kisses, it was a way to keep close to the people who mattered.

"You don't have to apologize," she says, mock-scolding him as she giggles.

"Sometimes...I think I need this too," she admits. "Just to know that...I'm not alone and it's real."

"You'll never be alone," Riku assures her. "Not if I can help it."

He'd fight to the ends of the earth to assure that fact.

She smiles, kissing the top of his head. "I know," she says. "Thank you, Riku."

He would be alone without her, too, wouldn't he? But that's not something he wants to think about. He quickly pushes the realization and the possibilities out of his head, for another time and another day.

Right now was just for happiness.

"Thank you," he says, instead, and stands up. He leans on her, as to not lose the closeness, but -

"I guess we should probably be productive."

Probably.