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Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Time placement: 358/2 Days, 255-300, around that time.
Pairing: Riku/Xion
Words: 3486
Summary: She never realized looking into a person's eyes was that much to ask for.
Sunsets were beautiful wherever she went, the girl with raven hair and eyes of blue decided as she basked in the glorious golden-red hue of yet another end for yet another day. She knew not which world she was on; it stopped mattering a good while ago. All she ever did was fight Heartless and stay out of sight; which world she did it on didn't really matter at the end of the day, even if the sunsets were still beautiful.
At least that, she thought, didn't change, regardless of how much she herself did.
"Xion?" Came the familiar voice from not too far behind her and she couldn't help but smile. Out there in the middle of nowhere, there was still the oddest piece of familiarity by her side.
It didn't really matter that familiarity was barely a week old.
Smiling widely she turned to face him, yet her eyes once again met the black fabric that covered his own, further sealing a rather grim, unreadable expression. It was enough to make her want to curl up and weep, yet instead she managed to keep smiling, even if only a bit.
"I'm here, Riku, didn't run away yet."
The small attempt at lightening the mood went unheeded, and the smile finally faded from her face.
"Is it time to go already?" She asked with sadness lacing her voice, only to find that he was stalling with the answer. She felt as though he was looking past her over her shoulder and half jumped as she felt his attention returning to her, right before he turned away.
"We can stay until the sun finishes setting."
Xion couldn't help but stare at his back for a long moment as he walked away, yet eventually managed to turn back to watch the sunset with a smile.
"Thank you, Riku."
–
Soon enough afterward, the two set up their small camp and huddled next to the fire. They settled down on opposite sides of the open flame, each occupied with their own thoughts. It had been several days since Xion left the Organization with Riku in an attempt to find her answers on her own, and the two traveled from world to world in the hopes the various experiences offered would help the girl reach a decision.
Of course, it was also the best way to ensure catching them would be difficult.
The silence outstretched for a while before it was broken by a sneeze. Riku looked up to see the girl covering her face with her hands before snickering awkwardly.
"Chilly tonight, isn't it?"
There was another moment of silence before Riku pushed himself up.
"I'll go get some more wood."
"Ah-" Xion exclaimed, only to fall silent under his cloth-covered gaze. They did need more wood, and Riku'd probably have found different reasons as to why she shouldn't come along anyway.
Resistance was, as they say, futile.
"...thanks."
A response, sadly, was not something she was lucky enough to receive.
–
It was when she realized she was woken up by a person's approach and the sound of wood being dropped that Xion realized she fell asleep. She found Riku crouching nearby and feeding branches and dry leaves to the flame.
"Did I wake you?" He asked eventually before turning to look at her. Xion looked back at him before shaking her head.
"I just closed my eyes for a bit, is all."
He turned away before long and Xion was left to her own thoughts again. They only ended up leading back to Riku, however, and so the silence was one again broken.
"Say, Riku?"
"Hm?" Came the rather idle reply. Not quite encouraged yet unwilling to yield, Xion braced herself.
"You... went to fetch wood, right? In the dark."
He turned to look at her as she trailed off, and she could only hope there was at least a touch of interest hidden behind the black fabric that always and forever stood between them.
"Well... how did you, you know... manage?"
There was a ripple in the fabric as though he blinked behind it.
"What do you mean?"
The girl shifted uncomfortably as she tried to gather her thoughts. Such a simple issue that was so hard to bring up...
"Your eyes, well... they're covered..." And that was exactly why she missed how his eyes widened. "So I was wondering, you know, like when we fought and you pulled my hood up... it's dark here, too, and-"
She was cut short when Riku pushed himself up and moved back to the other side of the flame and further to lean against a tree.
"I get by."
She couldn't help but pull her legs to her chest and hug them, chin resting over her knees.
"I was just curious. I'm sorry." She offered gently yet if anything, it made him tense further.
"It's late, we're both tired. Good night, Xion."
She looked up at him once before curling up further. "I didn't mean-"
Another glance in his direction made her purse her lips before settling down as well. Nothing she could say seemed like it would make things better, and so she didn't even try. They each had things they needed to come to terms with, it seemed. She could at least try and respect that.
–
She didn't know how much time passed since she fell asleep, but Xion realized it couldn't have been too long ago. There was still smoke rising from the recently burned-out wood, and the charred scent filled the air. She stood up and stretched before turning towards the sound of running water that came from nearby. A glance was offered over her shoulder at her sleeping companion before she took her leave.
A splash of water to the face and a drink from the cool liquid later and Xion let herself look up at the moon adorning the night sky. How unaccustomed she was to round moons... for so long she only saw the Heart shaped one she helped create. Were Roxas and Axel watching it then, she had to wonder as she pushed herself up and turned to head back.
Were they watching Kingdom Hearts? The thing they worked so hard for, for so long... what she too longed for...
But what good would a Heart do a Puppet? A being whose Memories were not even her own...
A bitter chuckle left her as she stopped right before returning to the small camp. She wasn't any closer to finding her answers, was she? To still have so many doubts, but to think she was even allowed to try and think them all through, that was no doubt one of the greatest wonders she had to face, she reckoned as she came to a stop next to the slumbering teen. This young man reached out to her, was honest with her, blunt with her, let her enjoy the benefit of the doubt... he might truly have saved her, didn't he? When he had every reason to drag her by the hair back to where she came from.
She kneeled next to him as she fixed back a loose strand behind her ear, yet the action was proved to be redundant as she tilted her head curiously at him. She knew why he did what he did, and yet the longer she stayed with him, she understood even less. Maybe that was why she was still confused, she pondered as she leaned on both her knees and began leaning forward towards him. To not understand this person who knew so much about her, this person she relied so much on, this person she truly knew nothing about...
Was it any wonder she could barely figure herself out?
She wanted to know, though, in that Xion hadn't a speck of a doubt. She wanted to know more about him, to know him better and to know she knew.
What better place to start at than to see his face?
Her lips parted as she ended up on all four next to him, almost over him. This wasn't an issue of trust, she knew as she raised her hand upwards towards his face. She trusted him as much as she did Axel and Roxas, if not more if such a thing was even possible.
This wasn't about trust.
Her fingers brushed carefully over black fabric and pushed aside several strands of platinum silver.
This was about curiosity. About wanting to know more about someone so near, so... dear...
A finger poked at the edge of the blindfold hesitatingly, only to slide underneath the black material over the teen's temple.
This was about seeing his eyes, open fully like she never managed to see even during that one time he showed one of them to her.
Riku stirred then, just as the fabric came off his head.
This wasn't about trust.
"Xi... on?" Riku asked, voice still sleep-hazed and unfocused. He squinted his eyes before blinking twice and raised a hand to rub his eyes. It instantly dawned on him that he should not have felt the leather of his glove against his skin, and he turned to stare at the girl still crouching by him, his eyes wide and more than a bit terrified.
Xion on her part failed to catch on. So excited she was, so curious, she couldn't help but gasp as the dim moonlight sifted through the leaves and branches overhead to lit the silhouette she so longed to see. So smooth it was, so delicate, so beautiful... she was caught completely off guard when the Darkness suddenly covered them, as though erupting from the other's body. Before she could even register the need to do more, or at least that any sort of action was required, she was pushed aside to fall on the ground. Her companion pushed himself to his feet and took the Darkness with him as he rounded the nearest tree and pressed back against it.
"Riku!" Xion managed to call out finally when she regained her bearings, the strip of black fabric clutched tightly in her hand. He was still there, she knew as she managed to make out his form between the shadows.
There was no relief to be found in that.
Now that the Darkness faded away and his form came into view, she realized instantly something was wrong.
It pieced itself together what only a moment later. He was too tall, his shoulders too wide. His hood was pulled up over his head, and the sadness and frustration he radiated were strengthened ten-folds. The worst part was that she had no doubt in her that it was her fault.
"Ri... ku?" she asked weakly as she sat up. He remained still and away without even replying, without even glancing at her. No; he did glance at her, she realized as she noticed him shift uneasily as he turned away.
Eternity passed before either moved further or even spoke. She was weighted down by guilt and regret, making her uncertain as to how to correct it. He was frozen, torn between his desire to run, to disappear, and the dire need to stay by her side. He couldn't abandon her no matter what, for various, many reasons; too many reasons. That was why he eventually managed to let out his voice, as redundant as what he had to say was.
"Xio-"
"I'm sorry!" The girl screamed, eyes shut tightly. Her fingers clenched around his blindfold as she hunched her shoulders. She couldn't even move from where she fell. "I'm so, so sorry!"
His fists clenched and he tensed momentarily, only to let out a long sigh a moment later. Really... what a mess...
Blue eyes opened slowly at the sound of approaching footsteps, and Xion raised her head finally when she realized there was a shadow towering over her. She watched him silently as he kneeled by her, and then moved to stare at his offered hand. Won't he say anything, she wondered as she looked up to try and find his eyes, only to find Darkness under his hood, Darkness and silence; he offered little more.
Darkness, silence, and an offered hand.
She accepted his offer and let him pull her up, only to find she kept holding on even after she was steady on her feet.
"I... I just..." Finally unable to hold on, she let go of his hand and let her own fall to her side. She hurt him that much, didn't she? After whatever happened, happened... after he without a doubt changed... She at least owed him 'why', she figured.
"I just wanted to see your eyes."
She lowered her head and fell silent, thus missing the tilt of his head that indicated he was now staring down at her. Had she been able to see his eyes then, as different and foreign as they were, she'd have found many different thoughts and emotions storming through them. Such a silly, pointless request, it was, or so he'd have liked to believe.
He knew better.
Such a silly, pointless request that went unanswered.
"Here." Xion muttered softly and snapped him out of his daze. "You... need this, right?" The smile that accompanied that question was a miserable one. "Because it happened when I took it off..." She muttered on as she looked down at the blindfold she held up for him to take.
Riku stared at it for a long moment before finally looking away. It was true; he needed it if he wanted to retain any semblance of hold over his own Self. But if he took it then, if he put it on again, he wouldn't be able to grant her even that much. Did it get any more basic than that? To look into someone's eyes...
"Riku?" Came the concerned uttering as he remained unmoving, unresponsive. The girl tilted her head and held the blindfold a bit higher, only to have him cover her hand with his own. The surprised sound was let out more strongly once he lowered her hand. She looked up at him, shock written over her features. It was even more evident when Riku reached his free hand up towards his coat's zipper. The motion was slow and uncertain, and after a centimeter or so were undone, his hand began shaking. He was hesitant, scared even, but still he continued.
Xion couldn't help but stare up in awe. What else could she have done? She wanted so badly to see, yet at the same time she feared it. What would be waiting under that hood? What was there Riku himself was so scared of?
She wanted to tell him to stop, that there was no need anymore, but then why was it she was gripping his blindfold so tightly? Why was she so anxious to the point she had to gulp? Why did it feel like now that he offered to do it, she no longer had the right to stop him?
With another gulp, Xion's hand rose as though on its own to gently hold the edge of Riku's hood. Riku paused for a split second but soon steeled himself and kept pulling the small piece of metal down. It was enough so that when Xion pulled the hood up, she managed to catch a glimpse of what he was so intent on hiding.
She almost wished she didn't.
The face was so familiar, so terrifying, she couldn't help but pull the hood back down. It couldn't be, her mind screamed as her body shivered. To think something like this happened, to think that he kept this hidden from her all this time... the mere possibility he lied to her was unbearable. Even more so however was the fact he was still standing there, still, silent. Waiting, anticipating even. For what? Help? Movement? Or was it he was simply waiting for the girl to retry the gesture and satisfy her curiosity?
For him to go that far... it couldn't possibly have been just for her sake. Well then, she owed him at least that much, didn't she? To look him properly in the eye. To prove that to her, at least -
This wasn't a matter of trust.
If only because to him, it was.
The hood was tugged back upwards slowly to reveal once again the frightening face. Bracing herself, Xion sucked a deep breath and did what she originally intended to do and looked Riku in the eye.
It was dark and she could barely make them out, but she knew well enough he was looking back at her, golden eyes shining faintly in the dark. These weren't his own eyes, yet they were undoubtfully not the Organization's Superior's, either. They were gentler, warmer, sadder, and more honest. These were the eyes of someone who, despite it all, still had a Heart beating loudly in his chest. Someone... she knew, she realized with a tiny gasp as the Memories inside her began coming together, making the oddest sense of familiarity wash over her. This stranger who looked like someone else, she knew him so well, she realized. Closing her eyes, she let Memories not her own explain to her what she realized she already knew about this young man with long silver strands and eyes of radiant cyan that were more lucid than the purest of gems.
Tears began streaming down her cheeks once she finally opened her eyes, and she let the hood fall gently back over his face. "Riku..." She uttered weakly, her hands dropping to clutch his coat. He tensed, uncertain as to what to make of her reaction. Was it the best one? The worst? He knew not what to expect, especially when the girl's shoulders began rocking. What came next, however, he expected even less.
"It really is Riku!" Xion cried out happily and buried her face in Riku's chest between her hands.
He couldn't really help it when he felt his tension ebb away as she wept against him, as though all the worries and concerns he refused to admit lessened, eased and faded away.
Not all of them, mind. There was a burden in still being he himself. But to still be himself, to know that despite it all that much wasn't lost...
He gazed down as the girl pressed against him, shivering so badly and looking so small, so miserable... a sigh left his lips before he let himself smile. How silly of him. After all, if anyone could be expected to see beyond appearances, wasn't it this pathetic, precious being clinging onto him as though for dear life?
A tiny remotely-amused sigh left him as he placed his hand on her head.
"Looks like it." He finally said, yet the voice hardly his own fazed neither, and when the girl finally looked up at him with teary eyes, she offered a familiar grin that was all her own. Riku found himself smiling back as she reached her hands up, the black strip of fabric held in both hands. He bowed to let her secure it over his head and wasn't surprised in the least to find her smiling a bit sadly once the Darkness ebbed away to reveal his true, blindfolded form.
"You have... really beautiful eyes, Riku." Xion muttered bashfully and Riku took his time before coming up with a decent response.
"So do you." He offered before walking past her, yet he didn't quite give her a chance to recover.
"And not because they're anyone else's."
The tears that filled her eyes were as honest as they were earlier, yet the happiness that tainted them was mixed with a lot more relief. She remained standing there even when Riku finally settled back down next to a comfortable trunk until he motioned her over.
"C'mon, it's late. We already lost enough shut-eye time."
She told herself he couldn't see her face well enough so that when she wiped her face as though nonchalantly with the edge of her sleeve, he was at least somewhat clueless.
He let her enjoy the benefit of the doubt and acted inconspicuous when she walked over and finally sat next to him. He was about to doze off then, only to realize Xion leaned against him, her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad... I got to see it." The girl admitted yet received no true response. She hardly minded and simply curled up next to him, finally letting herself relax. Only after a while, when he was comfortable enough thinking Xion was a sleep, even though he was wrong, Riku let himself lean his head against hers. Tomorrow would no doubt be another long, rough day, but at the very least, neither of them lost sight of who they were supposed to be, nor where they were going.
It mattered less they weren't even halfway there.
Time placement: 358/2 Days, 255-300, around that time.
Pairing: Riku/Xion
Words: 3486
Summary: She never realized looking into a person's eyes was that much to ask for.
~♥~
Eyes Don't Lie
~♥~
Eyes Don't Lie
~♥~
Sunsets were beautiful wherever she went, the girl with raven hair and eyes of blue decided as she basked in the glorious golden-red hue of yet another end for yet another day. She knew not which world she was on; it stopped mattering a good while ago. All she ever did was fight Heartless and stay out of sight; which world she did it on didn't really matter at the end of the day, even if the sunsets were still beautiful.
At least that, she thought, didn't change, regardless of how much she herself did.
"Xion?" Came the familiar voice from not too far behind her and she couldn't help but smile. Out there in the middle of nowhere, there was still the oddest piece of familiarity by her side.
It didn't really matter that familiarity was barely a week old.
Smiling widely she turned to face him, yet her eyes once again met the black fabric that covered his own, further sealing a rather grim, unreadable expression. It was enough to make her want to curl up and weep, yet instead she managed to keep smiling, even if only a bit.
"I'm here, Riku, didn't run away yet."
The small attempt at lightening the mood went unheeded, and the smile finally faded from her face.
"Is it time to go already?" She asked with sadness lacing her voice, only to find that he was stalling with the answer. She felt as though he was looking past her over her shoulder and half jumped as she felt his attention returning to her, right before he turned away.
"We can stay until the sun finishes setting."
Xion couldn't help but stare at his back for a long moment as he walked away, yet eventually managed to turn back to watch the sunset with a smile.
"Thank you, Riku."
–
Soon enough afterward, the two set up their small camp and huddled next to the fire. They settled down on opposite sides of the open flame, each occupied with their own thoughts. It had been several days since Xion left the Organization with Riku in an attempt to find her answers on her own, and the two traveled from world to world in the hopes the various experiences offered would help the girl reach a decision.
Of course, it was also the best way to ensure catching them would be difficult.
The silence outstretched for a while before it was broken by a sneeze. Riku looked up to see the girl covering her face with her hands before snickering awkwardly.
"Chilly tonight, isn't it?"
There was another moment of silence before Riku pushed himself up.
"I'll go get some more wood."
"Ah-" Xion exclaimed, only to fall silent under his cloth-covered gaze. They did need more wood, and Riku'd probably have found different reasons as to why she shouldn't come along anyway.
Resistance was, as they say, futile.
"...thanks."
A response, sadly, was not something she was lucky enough to receive.
–
It was when she realized she was woken up by a person's approach and the sound of wood being dropped that Xion realized she fell asleep. She found Riku crouching nearby and feeding branches and dry leaves to the flame.
"Did I wake you?" He asked eventually before turning to look at her. Xion looked back at him before shaking her head.
"I just closed my eyes for a bit, is all."
He turned away before long and Xion was left to her own thoughts again. They only ended up leading back to Riku, however, and so the silence was one again broken.
"Say, Riku?"
"Hm?" Came the rather idle reply. Not quite encouraged yet unwilling to yield, Xion braced herself.
"You... went to fetch wood, right? In the dark."
He turned to look at her as she trailed off, and she could only hope there was at least a touch of interest hidden behind the black fabric that always and forever stood between them.
"Well... how did you, you know... manage?"
There was a ripple in the fabric as though he blinked behind it.
"What do you mean?"
The girl shifted uncomfortably as she tried to gather her thoughts. Such a simple issue that was so hard to bring up...
"Your eyes, well... they're covered..." And that was exactly why she missed how his eyes widened. "So I was wondering, you know, like when we fought and you pulled my hood up... it's dark here, too, and-"
She was cut short when Riku pushed himself up and moved back to the other side of the flame and further to lean against a tree.
"I get by."
She couldn't help but pull her legs to her chest and hug them, chin resting over her knees.
"I was just curious. I'm sorry." She offered gently yet if anything, it made him tense further.
"It's late, we're both tired. Good night, Xion."
She looked up at him once before curling up further. "I didn't mean-"
Another glance in his direction made her purse her lips before settling down as well. Nothing she could say seemed like it would make things better, and so she didn't even try. They each had things they needed to come to terms with, it seemed. She could at least try and respect that.
–
She didn't know how much time passed since she fell asleep, but Xion realized it couldn't have been too long ago. There was still smoke rising from the recently burned-out wood, and the charred scent filled the air. She stood up and stretched before turning towards the sound of running water that came from nearby. A glance was offered over her shoulder at her sleeping companion before she took her leave.
A splash of water to the face and a drink from the cool liquid later and Xion let herself look up at the moon adorning the night sky. How unaccustomed she was to round moons... for so long she only saw the Heart shaped one she helped create. Were Roxas and Axel watching it then, she had to wonder as she pushed herself up and turned to head back.
Were they watching Kingdom Hearts? The thing they worked so hard for, for so long... what she too longed for...
But what good would a Heart do a Puppet? A being whose Memories were not even her own...
A bitter chuckle left her as she stopped right before returning to the small camp. She wasn't any closer to finding her answers, was she? To still have so many doubts, but to think she was even allowed to try and think them all through, that was no doubt one of the greatest wonders she had to face, she reckoned as she came to a stop next to the slumbering teen. This young man reached out to her, was honest with her, blunt with her, let her enjoy the benefit of the doubt... he might truly have saved her, didn't he? When he had every reason to drag her by the hair back to where she came from.
She kneeled next to him as she fixed back a loose strand behind her ear, yet the action was proved to be redundant as she tilted her head curiously at him. She knew why he did what he did, and yet the longer she stayed with him, she understood even less. Maybe that was why she was still confused, she pondered as she leaned on both her knees and began leaning forward towards him. To not understand this person who knew so much about her, this person she relied so much on, this person she truly knew nothing about...
Was it any wonder she could barely figure herself out?
She wanted to know, though, in that Xion hadn't a speck of a doubt. She wanted to know more about him, to know him better and to know she knew.
What better place to start at than to see his face?
Her lips parted as she ended up on all four next to him, almost over him. This wasn't an issue of trust, she knew as she raised her hand upwards towards his face. She trusted him as much as she did Axel and Roxas, if not more if such a thing was even possible.
This wasn't about trust.
Her fingers brushed carefully over black fabric and pushed aside several strands of platinum silver.
This was about curiosity. About wanting to know more about someone so near, so... dear...
A finger poked at the edge of the blindfold hesitatingly, only to slide underneath the black material over the teen's temple.
This was about seeing his eyes, open fully like she never managed to see even during that one time he showed one of them to her.
Riku stirred then, just as the fabric came off his head.
This wasn't about trust.
"Xi... on?" Riku asked, voice still sleep-hazed and unfocused. He squinted his eyes before blinking twice and raised a hand to rub his eyes. It instantly dawned on him that he should not have felt the leather of his glove against his skin, and he turned to stare at the girl still crouching by him, his eyes wide and more than a bit terrified.
Xion on her part failed to catch on. So excited she was, so curious, she couldn't help but gasp as the dim moonlight sifted through the leaves and branches overhead to lit the silhouette she so longed to see. So smooth it was, so delicate, so beautiful... she was caught completely off guard when the Darkness suddenly covered them, as though erupting from the other's body. Before she could even register the need to do more, or at least that any sort of action was required, she was pushed aside to fall on the ground. Her companion pushed himself to his feet and took the Darkness with him as he rounded the nearest tree and pressed back against it.
"Riku!" Xion managed to call out finally when she regained her bearings, the strip of black fabric clutched tightly in her hand. He was still there, she knew as she managed to make out his form between the shadows.
There was no relief to be found in that.
Now that the Darkness faded away and his form came into view, she realized instantly something was wrong.
It pieced itself together what only a moment later. He was too tall, his shoulders too wide. His hood was pulled up over his head, and the sadness and frustration he radiated were strengthened ten-folds. The worst part was that she had no doubt in her that it was her fault.
"Ri... ku?" she asked weakly as she sat up. He remained still and away without even replying, without even glancing at her. No; he did glance at her, she realized as she noticed him shift uneasily as he turned away.
Eternity passed before either moved further or even spoke. She was weighted down by guilt and regret, making her uncertain as to how to correct it. He was frozen, torn between his desire to run, to disappear, and the dire need to stay by her side. He couldn't abandon her no matter what, for various, many reasons; too many reasons. That was why he eventually managed to let out his voice, as redundant as what he had to say was.
"Xio-"
"I'm sorry!" The girl screamed, eyes shut tightly. Her fingers clenched around his blindfold as she hunched her shoulders. She couldn't even move from where she fell. "I'm so, so sorry!"
His fists clenched and he tensed momentarily, only to let out a long sigh a moment later. Really... what a mess...
Blue eyes opened slowly at the sound of approaching footsteps, and Xion raised her head finally when she realized there was a shadow towering over her. She watched him silently as he kneeled by her, and then moved to stare at his offered hand. Won't he say anything, she wondered as she looked up to try and find his eyes, only to find Darkness under his hood, Darkness and silence; he offered little more.
Darkness, silence, and an offered hand.
She accepted his offer and let him pull her up, only to find she kept holding on even after she was steady on her feet.
"I... I just..." Finally unable to hold on, she let go of his hand and let her own fall to her side. She hurt him that much, didn't she? After whatever happened, happened... after he without a doubt changed... She at least owed him 'why', she figured.
"I just wanted to see your eyes."
She lowered her head and fell silent, thus missing the tilt of his head that indicated he was now staring down at her. Had she been able to see his eyes then, as different and foreign as they were, she'd have found many different thoughts and emotions storming through them. Such a silly, pointless request, it was, or so he'd have liked to believe.
He knew better.
Such a silly, pointless request that went unanswered.
"Here." Xion muttered softly and snapped him out of his daze. "You... need this, right?" The smile that accompanied that question was a miserable one. "Because it happened when I took it off..." She muttered on as she looked down at the blindfold she held up for him to take.
Riku stared at it for a long moment before finally looking away. It was true; he needed it if he wanted to retain any semblance of hold over his own Self. But if he took it then, if he put it on again, he wouldn't be able to grant her even that much. Did it get any more basic than that? To look into someone's eyes...
"Riku?" Came the concerned uttering as he remained unmoving, unresponsive. The girl tilted her head and held the blindfold a bit higher, only to have him cover her hand with his own. The surprised sound was let out more strongly once he lowered her hand. She looked up at him, shock written over her features. It was even more evident when Riku reached his free hand up towards his coat's zipper. The motion was slow and uncertain, and after a centimeter or so were undone, his hand began shaking. He was hesitant, scared even, but still he continued.
Xion couldn't help but stare up in awe. What else could she have done? She wanted so badly to see, yet at the same time she feared it. What would be waiting under that hood? What was there Riku himself was so scared of?
She wanted to tell him to stop, that there was no need anymore, but then why was it she was gripping his blindfold so tightly? Why was she so anxious to the point she had to gulp? Why did it feel like now that he offered to do it, she no longer had the right to stop him?
With another gulp, Xion's hand rose as though on its own to gently hold the edge of Riku's hood. Riku paused for a split second but soon steeled himself and kept pulling the small piece of metal down. It was enough so that when Xion pulled the hood up, she managed to catch a glimpse of what he was so intent on hiding.
She almost wished she didn't.
The face was so familiar, so terrifying, she couldn't help but pull the hood back down. It couldn't be, her mind screamed as her body shivered. To think something like this happened, to think that he kept this hidden from her all this time... the mere possibility he lied to her was unbearable. Even more so however was the fact he was still standing there, still, silent. Waiting, anticipating even. For what? Help? Movement? Or was it he was simply waiting for the girl to retry the gesture and satisfy her curiosity?
For him to go that far... it couldn't possibly have been just for her sake. Well then, she owed him at least that much, didn't she? To look him properly in the eye. To prove that to her, at least -
This wasn't a matter of trust.
If only because to him, it was.
The hood was tugged back upwards slowly to reveal once again the frightening face. Bracing herself, Xion sucked a deep breath and did what she originally intended to do and looked Riku in the eye.
It was dark and she could barely make them out, but she knew well enough he was looking back at her, golden eyes shining faintly in the dark. These weren't his own eyes, yet they were undoubtfully not the Organization's Superior's, either. They were gentler, warmer, sadder, and more honest. These were the eyes of someone who, despite it all, still had a Heart beating loudly in his chest. Someone... she knew, she realized with a tiny gasp as the Memories inside her began coming together, making the oddest sense of familiarity wash over her. This stranger who looked like someone else, she knew him so well, she realized. Closing her eyes, she let Memories not her own explain to her what she realized she already knew about this young man with long silver strands and eyes of radiant cyan that were more lucid than the purest of gems.
Tears began streaming down her cheeks once she finally opened her eyes, and she let the hood fall gently back over his face. "Riku..." She uttered weakly, her hands dropping to clutch his coat. He tensed, uncertain as to what to make of her reaction. Was it the best one? The worst? He knew not what to expect, especially when the girl's shoulders began rocking. What came next, however, he expected even less.
"It really is Riku!" Xion cried out happily and buried her face in Riku's chest between her hands.
He couldn't really help it when he felt his tension ebb away as she wept against him, as though all the worries and concerns he refused to admit lessened, eased and faded away.
Not all of them, mind. There was a burden in still being he himself. But to still be himself, to know that despite it all that much wasn't lost...
He gazed down as the girl pressed against him, shivering so badly and looking so small, so miserable... a sigh left his lips before he let himself smile. How silly of him. After all, if anyone could be expected to see beyond appearances, wasn't it this pathetic, precious being clinging onto him as though for dear life?
A tiny remotely-amused sigh left him as he placed his hand on her head.
"Looks like it." He finally said, yet the voice hardly his own fazed neither, and when the girl finally looked up at him with teary eyes, she offered a familiar grin that was all her own. Riku found himself smiling back as she reached her hands up, the black strip of fabric held in both hands. He bowed to let her secure it over his head and wasn't surprised in the least to find her smiling a bit sadly once the Darkness ebbed away to reveal his true, blindfolded form.
"You have... really beautiful eyes, Riku." Xion muttered bashfully and Riku took his time before coming up with a decent response.
"So do you." He offered before walking past her, yet he didn't quite give her a chance to recover.
"And not because they're anyone else's."
The tears that filled her eyes were as honest as they were earlier, yet the happiness that tainted them was mixed with a lot more relief. She remained standing there even when Riku finally settled back down next to a comfortable trunk until he motioned her over.
"C'mon, it's late. We already lost enough shut-eye time."
She told herself he couldn't see her face well enough so that when she wiped her face as though nonchalantly with the edge of her sleeve, he was at least somewhat clueless.
He let her enjoy the benefit of the doubt and acted inconspicuous when she walked over and finally sat next to him. He was about to doze off then, only to realize Xion leaned against him, her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad... I got to see it." The girl admitted yet received no true response. She hardly minded and simply curled up next to him, finally letting herself relax. Only after a while, when he was comfortable enough thinking Xion was a sleep, even though he was wrong, Riku let himself lean his head against hers. Tomorrow would no doubt be another long, rough day, but at the very least, neither of them lost sight of who they were supposed to be, nor where they were going.
It mattered less they weren't even halfway there.
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