Rated: K

Theme: Mask

He had always been a good-looking boy. Not particularly handsome, per say, and still too child-like to be called attractive, he'd none-the-less possessed an abundance of innocence and good-will that gave him an inner glow. His eyes were always rich with life and love, his slender lips always spilling laughter and sunshine. In his own unique way, Riku'd been… beautiful, almost.

It hurt Kai more than he liked to admit, watching that Diva woman slip into his brother's skin, turning what should be a beautiful memory into something else, something tainted, something perverse. Though his skin and cheeks and hair and hands were all the same, his eyes and smile were… splintered. Meeting his gaze now was like looking into a broken camera, a Halloween mask of a precious young boy with a maniac's eyes piercing through the eye-holes. The twin orbs shone from their sockets, burning blue ice, and when Kai started to tremble not even he was sure it was entirely from anger.

"You monster," he hissed. His hands almost unconsciously curled into fists, his own dark eyes smouldering. "Where do you get off, pretending to be my brother?"

"Your brother?" It may have been Riku's voice, but the tinkling laugh that followed was entirely Diva. "Sorry, but he's not yours. He did belong to Saya, but now he belongs to me. He was never yours, silly." Diva's eyes gleamed, her smile twisting Riku's cheeks as she folded Riku's hands and rocked from side to side in a mockery of childish innocence. "And if he's mine," she added slyly, "I can do with him whatever I please."

It took all of Kai's will-power not to punch the insanity in those hauntingly familiar eyes away. "What do you want from us?" he growled instead.

"Nothing, really." Riku's shoulders shrugged, Diva's voice flowing so naturally from his dead lips that it makes Kai's heart ache. "I'm just going along with what sister wants. If she wants to fight me I won't stop her. You'll be a dear and tell her that for me, won't you?"

"I'll tell her," said Kai quietly. "Is that all you wanted?"

Diva considered carefully, Riku's index finger tapping against his chin as blue eyes stared pensively at the ceiling. "No," she said at last. "I want you."

Kai was taken aback. "No," he said abruptly, almost defensively. Diva only laughed at his aggressive tone.

"I want you," Diva reiterated, her eyes boring into his, her voice a soft coo. Kai gazed into her eyes, entranced, as her face seemed to melt and her eyes seemed to change, features becoming hazy and indistinct before softening and smoothing until he was looking into Riku's shy smile. "I want you, Kai," said Riku softly, his eyes dark and rich. "I want you to come with me, so that we can be a family again. Just like how it used to be."

Kai couldn't speak, couldn't move. He could only watch, his heart trembling, his hand almost unconsciously reaching for his brother before he drew the traitorous appendage back to his side with a snap.

"We could be happy again," the young boy persisted, his eyes glowing, "if only you agree to join me. To live forever as mine and mine alone."

"Riku, I..." Kai's voice trembled, and the words stuck in his throat. His fingers twitched and he licked his lips, his eyes wide and uncertain. "I… I… I won't, Diva!"

With those words Riku's lovely mouth twisted, mocking laughter ringing out from his pale lips as blue fire replaced Riku's tranquil brown. "You're not very nice, are you now?" said Diva gaily. She wagged a finger with mock severity. "Saying such things to your own brother, how unkind."

"No!" Kai roared, his dark eyes brimming with anger and shining with tears that he forcefully knuckled away. "I won't listen to you, you monster! You're not my brother!"

But Diva only laughed some more, dismissing the human boy entirely as she lost herself in her merriment.

Giving a last hoarse yell Kai leapt away, racing back to his friends as fast as his feet would carry him. His heart burning and his throat choked, he tried in vain to forget the sight of his brother – all soft lines and baby fat and small hands – laughing with the twisted delight of a maniac as the last shreds of Kai's optimism lay in soiled tatters at his feet, leaving only the bitter burn for revenge.

Diva'd suffer for this, Kai swore, angrily swiping at a few traitorous tears.

He'd see her and her mask shatter yet.

Word Count: 767

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A.N. Well... To the person who requested a Riku-centric, this did actually start out a nice, friendly fluff ficlet all about Riku... but then -gestures helpessly- this happened. I still like how it turned out so I decided to post it, but I will make sure I do a nice fluff piece for you sometime in the future. And thanks to everyone who reviewed and/or gave me suggestions... I'll post them as soon as I can!

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