kingdomdressing | (no subject)

[Looks like her week just went from bad to worse. There's a moment when Riku, sliding into a kneel in the snow, selfishly hopes that this isn't the Roxas she knows. Then she has her hands on his face, tilting it up and feeling his head for open wounds.]

[He isn't dead, but he looks like he should be. He's much thinner than he was the last time she would have seen him. Roxas doesn't seem to be bleeding at the moment, though his hair is crusted with blood from a nasty gash almost hidden beneath it.]

[She's going to pick up some clean snow and lay it across that spot, then move both of her hands to his shoulders and cast a gentle Cure on him.]

[Much of the bruising disappears, along with a split over his cheek. He coughs soon after, taking in a great, gasping breath. When he finally opens his eyes to see her he almost stops breathing all over again, then breaks into a smile.]

I knew an angel would save me.

[Riku gives a soft, incredulous laugh, shaking her head and smoothing her fingers over his face. She's so relieved to see him awake, but she also looks about ready to cry.]

I'm no angel.

[He closes his eyes again when she does that, but he's still smiling.]

'course you are. I can tell.

[Oh no you don't. She leans closer, shifting a hand up under his neck.]

Roxas, do you know who I am?

I thought I would have gotten a hug by now, Riku.

[He'd only closed his eyes because of her touching his face, and will open them again when she stops.]

[When he does she hesitates for a few seconds, but then she pulls him up for a hug, looping both arms around his neck.]

[He leans against her, slowly dragging his arms up to return the hug. It makes him feel warm, in and out. His smile slowly fades as he gets a better look around them, and his fingers tighten in the back of her shirt. He sounds almost afraid to speak any louder.]

I died... didn't I.

[They should really get out of the snow, but Riku doesn't want to move. She wants to answer even less than that.]

I don't know.

[He sounds quietly horrified, staring at all the rocks around them. Some are much larger than others, and it's good that he can't see the one close to where his head had been right now.]

They... they stoned me.

[She moves her hand up to his hair, brushing her fingertips through it gently.]

Why?

They thought I was a witch. Someone saw me when I.. went b-back.

[He couldn't find Sora either, and the ones he thought of as his family when he was younger wouldn't even let him in the door.]

Saw you what? What happened?

[She's pulling back to look at his face now, partly to judge whether or not he needs another Cure.]

[He looks ready to cry.]

They saw me walk out of a tree. With shoes! All I did was go through a door here!

[Riku couldn't blame him for that, especially with what happened, but she really hopes he doesn't.]

That makes you a witch?

They were shoes like yours.. and even if I didn't have any on, how could I explain walking out a tree? Some of them wanted to press me under rocks until I told them how I did it and where I'd been. I didn't want to die, so I tried to run.

[He really is crying now, and babbling.]

Shhhh.

[Rather than asking any more questions she goes for another hug, pulling his head down to her shoulder. She can barely imagine what that was like, how people could act like that.]

I h-hid in the woods for a while. I thought they'd forget and I tried to go back h-home... They said I was the reason for the big fire when I was born, that I probably killed my own m-mother!

[He doesn't understand, either. In a way he knew that there were people in the world like that, but he'd never seen it up close or from the people he thought he knew. Roxas quiets down a little, but only because he can't seem to get in enough air as he cries messily against Riku.]

Roxas, you know that's not true. They couldn't understand any of this unless they came here.

[But he can cry on her as long as he needs to, she won't stop him.]

I know, but it still hurts...

[He's sore all over, but it's his heart that hurts the most. It'll be a while before he finally stops, his eyes still shut against Riku's shoulder. He doesn't want to let go.]

[She doesn't really want to either, but it's not a good idea to stay here, she thinks.]

Come on. You can come to my place and warm up.

[Roxas just nods, but he'll still be holding on to her as he finds his feet. He's still a little unsteady, but the cold feels like it's sunk down to his bones and getting warm sounds really, really good.]

[She stands up with him, shifting his arms once they're up and threading her fingers with his.]

How about hot chocolate?