This was initially marked as .5, sorry for the mix-up.
...
Words. Syllables. Courses of sounds and letters that we did not create, but they mean more to us than life itself.
Because words themselves can end a life, without ever touching the person.
Because they contaminate the ear, spreading the virus into the brain until those words are the only thing you can hear or even think about, until it overwhelms you so much that your body begins to destroy itself from the inside.
All because of an opinon. A belief. A crushed hope. A destroyed dream.
Until it decimates the person. Shredding the very thing that makes them happy.
The power of words.
We hold them within ourselves, always so close to releasing them.
But if the words do slip through, they can cause more pain than simply keeping them inside of you.
Because while you can take measures to make sure your thoughts will never be voiced, they never return once they flutter through the air.
They flutter through the breeze. A single breath that kills.
Words.
...
The cold winter bit into Riku's skin. The silence was damning. For the words we never voice, the feelings we contain, can be destructive to ourselves if held back for too long.
They spotted Aerith on the way to school.
Sora had almost forgotten that Aerith went this way as well- he was always lingering around the school, so he never had the chance to actually talk with her. Kairi seemed to like her, so he ran and hopped on her porch, bursting with energy from the full night's sleep he had at Riku's place. Riku stopped in his tracks, and Sora waved enthusiastically at the pretty girl. She smiled sweetly and continued down her stairs, walking to Sora and heading towards Riku. Sora chattered eagerly away.
Riku felt lost in his own world, his eyes closing as he heard a jumble of footsteps heading toward him. His thoughts traveled cleanly and without disturbance, and he solemnly considered and came to the conclusion that he wanted to be alone.
Just by himself.
Without people, there is no pain.
"Be careful what you wish for..." Riku's eyes shot open and his heart thumped loudly, shoving against his body. He turned slowly, and saw Ansem's cruel, wide smile looking down at him. Peering into his soul. Defiling him all over again without touching a hair.
Hadn't Riku won? Wasn't it over?
Ansem slid past and Riku watched, his body frozen and his eyes glued to the large body. He shuddered involuntarily, and Ansem continued without a glance back.
Why talk to him? Why continue to torture him like this?
Why couldn't he be left alone?
Why wouldn't the world let him be happy?
"Hey, Riku. It's been a while." Aerith smiled softly, her cheeks flushing pink. Her large fluffy coat was the exact same shade as her blush, Riku noticed disconnectedly.
He was on autopilot, forcing himself to submit to his usual actions and to bury his conscious deep down inside of him, where no amount of words or things Ansem did would bother him.
Where no soul could touch him.
Sora laughed and Aerith giggled, her voice tinkling. Riku smiled at her, and her flush spread farther across her cheeks. Maybe it was time he had a girlfriend.
He had dated a few girls here and there. He could learn to love Aerith.
There was so such thing as falling in love. Riku was finally all alone in the world, and the very least he could do is have a family and make his parents proud. Not a real love. Just someone to grow old with.
He wondered, after Ansem, if his parents still loved him. He wondered if they thought he was dirty.
Riku sighed and made pleasant chatter with Aerith, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign that Ansem was lurking nearby.
There was nothing.
At least, that's what he pretended.
Because Ansem was always lurking inside of his mind...
...
Sora had hope Aerith would help, but he could always tell.
Riku had dug very far inside himself when they picked up Aerith, and Sora felt as though for every moment he was gone Riku slipped further and further away.
Sora wanted to help. But there was no he would be able to stay with Riku all the time- and even if he could, it would slowly wear away on his soul.
Sora hated himself for thinking that way.
But he also knew it was true.
At the very least, he wanted to make Riku happy.
And thus began the Making Riku Fall In Love Chronicles.
...
Welcome to the MRFIL Chronicles!
Odd situations, stupid plans, and maybe, who knows, characters realize their love for each other.
Really, who knows?
Read and find out.