So a couple of you beautiful people ended up having coincidences with the donut reference… I feel so psychically connected to you now. o-o

THUD.

My eyes opened to a room that was far too bright and I flopped over, refusing to wake up. My body ached all over, especially my shoulder, and each breath felt freezing cold, making me shudder a little. I heard something shuffle on the floor beside the bed, and propped myself up on one elbow to look over and see Riku sitting on his feet on the floor.

"Did you fall off the bed?" I asked.

He jumped at my voice and started to stammer. "Ye— No, actually, I was asleep on the floor…" He stared at the floor, his eyebrows knitting.

"I'm sleepy, not blind. You were sleeping on the bed, weren't you?"

"Er…" He shook his head. "No."

"Liar."

"I'm not! I just… Ergh, never mind."

I snorted, and ignored the icey throbbing in my chest. "Nice try. I don't care if we sleep in the same bed, you know."

He stared at me a minute, a small smile creeping onto his face. "But you're so… 'hands-off'."

I glared at him. "I didn't say you could climb in pantless," I growled. He nodded, looking back at the floor and rubbing the back of his neck. I noticed that he was still wearing his coat, which made me feel relieved and a little sad. "Don't you have normal clothes on under that thing?"

"I couldn't even sleep on the bed, Miyuki. You really think I was going to take anything off?"

"What do you mean? So you didn't sleep on the bed? Then what was that thud?"

He rolled his eyes and wiped his face with one hand. "I don't know."

"Yes you do!"

"It was so fucking awkward, I just sat on the edge of the bed, alright?"

I bit my lower lip. "And you fell over just now?"

"Yeah, 'cause you just now rammed your foot into my ass."

I snorted. "That's what you get for being kinky and sitting on my bed." I feigned a gasp of shock. It was painful.

"Are you telling me your foot doesn't hurt at all from kicking me?"

"Are you telling me that I hurt you very badly without even trying?"

"Tch. Please. I've dealt with meaner bugbites."

"I bet those bugs didn't hurt themselves while biting you, either."

"'Either'? When did you bite me?" he smirked.

I opened my mouth, but no witty response came out. I just felt my face go red and warm, an almost painful contrast to the chill in my chest. I flopped back down onto the bed, turning my back to him. "I'm injured. Leave me alone."

There was a long pause, and I knew that I'd struck a chord that wasn't exactly pleasant.

I felt pressure on the mattress behind me, and peeked over my shoulder to see Riku kneeling beside the bed, elbows on the mattress, running a hand through the hair on his hanging head.

"Riku?"

"I unlocked your heart…" He cleared his throat. "I'm pretty sure he has… full access to it…" I could only see the top of his head as he shook it, staring at the mattress, which was now mere inches from his face. Or at least, from what I could tell, it was. It was difficult to see past the mass of silver hair. "I never meant to hit you."

"I know."

"I thought you were…" He clutched his head with both hands. "How many times will I nearly kill you?"

"Riku," I said reproachfully, turning onto my other side to face him.

"I can't believe I did this to you."

I sat up quickly, ignoring the sudden nausea, and pried his hands off his head, gripping his hair and pulling up until he looked at me. I gripped his face with both hands and wobbled his head back and forth as I spoke. "It's no big deal."

He arched a skeptical eyebrow at me. "'No big deal?' Miyuki—"

"No. Shut up. Dwelling on it will only make us feel like shit." I leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I'll pay you back eventually."

He snorted, and I suddenly realized that I was still in a hanfu. A ridiculously oversized hanfu. A ridiculously oversized hanfu that was now loosened from my tossing and turning, and was now revealing a bit more skin than I intended. And this skin was now being warmed by Riku's breath. Bending over was not my brightest idea. Good thing I had an injury to blame for this ignorance of mine.

I slid one hand from his cheek to his eyes, covering both of them as well as I could. "Uhhhhm…" I gripped the fabric and pinned it together in my fist, holding it up to my collarbone. "…Please tell me you didn't see that."

"I didn't see that," he said obediently.

"Are you lying?"

"Would it make you feel better if I said 'no'?"

My heart was pounding in my ears and my stomach flipped. I hung my head. "No, because you just said 'yes'."

"Sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Yes I am. Hearing that that view was not intentional is a little offensive."

"Excuse me?" I dropped my hand from his eyes and stared at him in shock.

"Are you telling me you really weren't thinking… along those lines at all?"

"I was just trying to say I forgive you!"

"So your… judgement hasn't been impaired at all?"

"I can't believe this! What are you, some sex god all of a sudden? If you don't make girls feel like taking off their clothes immediately, your relationship has no meaning?" He smirked. I glared at him. "You're teasing me."

"Maybe. A little."

"You're sick."

"Maybe. A little."

I grabbed the pillow and smacked him upside the head with it. "See if I let you on the bed again!" I shouted.

"Do you wanna wake the other people staying here?" he hissed, grabbing the other end of the pillow.

Actually, it hadn't occurred to me that we were in an inn. "Yes! I'll tell them all what a pervert you are! This town isn't exactly modern. I bet they'll burn you at a stake or something!"

"You'd have them burn me at a stake for catching a glimpse of your chest when it wasn't even my fault?"

My head was pounding, my chest was throbbing and I felt like I was going to collapse. I clutched the pillow, trying to spit out words that described my pain as well as disdain for his remarks. I was wobbling now – I could tell by the way the room spun. I waved my left hand towards Riku, trying to use his shoulder to hold myself up; he caught my hand in his right and steadied me by my shoulder with his left hand.

"I'm dizzy," I muttered.

"Lay down. I'll get some water."

"That should fix it," I nodded. I hope. I slowly laid down on my back and he vanished. I stared at the ceiling, folding my hands on my stomach. The coldness was only getting worse in my chest, and even though my face went bright red even thinking it, I sort of wished Riku's warm breath would spill across it again.

Because then I wouldn't be as cold. Yes. That's why. Yes.

I shuddered, the cold slowly spreading through my torso.

Darkness… Was it this paiful when Riku surrendered?

I sighed and flopped onto my side, curling into a fetal position, clutching the pillow to my chest.

I hope I don't feel this cold all the time.

"If you'd stop fighting it, you wouldn't be in pain, Miyuki," Xehanort hissed in my ear. I shuddered, feeling surrounded by ice, wishing the blankets would warm up already.

"My heart's unlocked. How can I possibly be fighting it?" I muttered.

"You haven't entirely surrendered. Even when struck by the keyblade itself, you're resilient."

A freezing cold, tan hand rested on my shoulder and I jumped out of the bed, turning to see Xehanort standing on the other side, crossing his arms at me. "Why are you so afraid of me?" he smirked.

"Afraid?" I scoffed. "More like fucking pissed!" I held both hands up towards him. "Firaga!" I bellowed.

He lowered his arms and the flames leaping from my hand hit him in the chest. But I felt my skin burning on the outside, the chill still sitting on the inside. I slapped my chest, trying to pat out the invisile flames. It didn't do anything.

"Why did I feel that?" I stared at Xehanort with what I knew had to be a look of sheer terror.

"We are finally becoming one," he said, smiling.

Suddenly he was behind and above me, a freezing grip seering into my arms. My hands clenched into fists, by no command of mine.

"What'd you do to Riku?" I growled. If he can physically control me, and I'm still "resilient", what god-awful things…?

"Riku? You saw what I did to him," he said plainly. "Or did you mean what did I do to him, that he hasn't come to your rescue yet? In which case, I did nothing. He wanted to see Sora, who has recently stepped into the bar below us."

Sora? Sora stepped into a bar?

Wait a— Riku got us a room over a bar?

"Let's greet them," Xehanort said.

I tried walking towards the bed – it ended up being the door. No. No. Not in this ensemble. Oh god. No. My hand reached towards the doorknob. Fuck you! I'm not doing this! I slammed the heel of my hand down on the knob and it busted beneath the force. I bent over with a silent scream. Oh yes, a bruised palm was exactly what I needed on top of the ice-cold torso and demon possessing me.

"I told you. The less of a fight you put up, the less pain you'll feel."

I felt my body twist and my weight shifted to my left foot, my right foot lifting to smash the door open. I struggled to put my leg back down, but it wasn't happening. Time for a new plan.

"This is why we can't have nice things," I groaned.

Just as my right foot reared back, ready to swing at the door, I kicked my left foot up and landed on my butt, my tailbone smashing against the doorknob I'd just knocked down.

I was about to scream when I felt a cold hand wrap around my mouth.

"Shhhh!" Xehanort hissed in my ear. "You know how to stop the pain. Stop fighting me!"

I lifted my head back a tiny bit, and chomped down on his hand with all the force I had. My finger was now throbbing along with his, but it was just as well, considering I was aching all over anyway. I yanked my head to the side, trying to rip his finger off. My vocal cords were vibrating with rage – I didn't even realize I was screaming until he gripped my neck and the noise stopped. Now it was replaced with the angry curses of Xehanort, whose voice was chilling every throbbing fiber of my being.

"Idiot girl, did you really think you could rid yourself of me so easily? You two will pay for that. Mark my words, child, you and that boy will pay dearly!"

Something struck me across the cheek, and the voice and hand disappeared. I felt hot tears streaming down my cool cheeks, and every little move I made was agony. Breathing was torture, blinking was hell, and I didn't feel any warmth at all.

An age passed; two ages passed; I finally heard the shuffle of footsteps behind me, and struggled to get up. My body felt heavy and my legs wobbled beneath me, but I managed to lurch onto my feet and keep my balance.

Wait for Xehanort to touch me… Just a moment longer…

I felt fingertips on my shoulder and whipped around, swinging my leg into his side and casting firaga on him. I knew I would feel the pain, too, but at least now he would get the message that I wasn't going down without a fight. Except it wasn't Xehanort, it was Riku.

I stood there in a stupor as he lowered his arms, which he'd raised to keep the spell from hitting his head. He had his hood pulled up, and I could just barely make out the teal in the shadow of it. Agony and misery set in, and I felt the room spin.

"Miyuki," Riku said, catching my arm and holding me up – or at least, he was trying to. The room kept pitching and yawing, and I shut my eyes, trying to shut out the pain and guilt.

"Sorry," I croaked, my vocal cords throbbing as I spoke.

"Don't worry. Come sit down."

He led me to the bed and sat on the edge of it with me, his arm feeling like fire as he wrapped it around my shoulders.

"It's cold," I whispered, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around my legs, tense and aching all over.

"It doesn't last forever."

I leaned into his side – it felt like leaning against fire, but I knew I would be worse off freezing by myself. Slowly, my eyes began drifting shut, and I slipped into sleep.

There's nothing but darkness and water in front of me. The ocean is whispering things I don't understand, and although I know I shouldn't, I inch closer to it. The black sand is soft between my toes, the black waves looking inviting. Something's pushing me towards it, someone telling me to stop. My toes hit freezing cold water, and something heavy presses against my chest. The water slides beneath my feet, slipping under my skin, crawling up my veins. I shudder with the cold, my chest feeling tight, and I gasp for air, backing away. But when I step back, my heel hits more water.

I turn around and kick at the tide, though it does nothing. I look all around me and realize the once wide shore is now closing in on me, nothing left but maybe three feet of sand left for me to stand on. The water is rising, up to my ankles; knees; waist; chest. I try to tread it, to start swimming, but my feet are planted to the ground. I tilt my head back, about to take a deep breath, and feel burning skin brush against my cheek. Lips catch mine, drawing breath out of them as the water reaches my chin. When they finally pull away and I try to inhale, water slips down my throat.

I flopped onto my side, choking and gasping for air, pushing myself onto my hands and knees on the bed.

"It's okay." I felt a warm hand pat my back gently, and realized that I wasn't freezing – I actually felt warm.

I sat back on my feet, catching my breath and wiping my face with one hand. "Nightmare," I muttered.

"What'd you say?" Riku asked.

I looked over at him and my eyes popped out of my skull. He was sprawled on one side of the bed in nothing but sweatpants, his hair smushed from sleep, one elbow propping him up. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I shouted.

He arched an eyebrow. "Trying to make sure you don't choke to death?"

I yanked the pillow out from beneath his elbow and started beating him in the face with it as he fell back onto the mattress, banging his head against the headboard. "You pervert! You little fucking pervert!"

"Damn it, Miyuki! You said you didn't care if we slept in the same bed!"

"I told you not to climb in pantless!" I screeched.

He gripped the pillow and yanked it out of my hands, chucking it across the room. "I'm wearing pants!" he yelled.

I curled my hands into fists and started pounding on his bare stomach. "You need to be fully clothed! Fully!"

"Well someone's feeling better! C'mon, knock it off!" He gripped my forearms in each of his hands, shaking his head. "A: You need to train, woman. Those punches were weak as water."

"I've felt like shit!" I squeaked.

"Excuses, excuses. B: Are you that afraid that I'll 'take you' against your will, or something?"

I grit my teeth. "I… I want you… to wear clothes when we're sleeping… near each other."

He narrowed his eyes at me and pulled himself forward, tugging my arms towards him a little as he did so. My heart started pounding in my ears and there was no doubt in my mind now that I wasn't freezing anymore; my face was burning bright red. He leaned towards me, his eyes slipping down from my eyes to my lips. Barely an inch separated us, and I could feel warmth radiating off his skin. A long moment passed; I could barely move.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Riku whispered.

"Th-There aren't any," I stammered.

He exhaled, the corners of his mouth tugging into a small frown. He let go of me and laid back, resting his hands beneath his head and shutting his eyes. "You are so fickle."

"Me? You're the one who was all shy and awkward on the roof, then some sex fiend the entire time in this room!"

"Sex fiend?" he laughed hollowly. "Because I listened when you said 'we can sleep in the same bed'?"

"Because you've been ogling my chest and taking off your shirt!"

He shook his head. "You shoved your boobs in my face and that jacket was freakin' suffocating me, alright?"

"I don't wanna fight anymore!" I shouted.

"Neither do I!" he shouted back. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"To get my damn pillow! Do you mind? Is it too provocative for your feeble heart?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm all hot and bothered!" I barked sarcastically as he picked up the cushion.

"Now if only you'd loosen that dress…!" He chucked the pillow at me. I caught it with both hands and glared at him as he walked over to the side of the bed. "I am not going another night with barely any sleep," he said, taking the pillow from me and putting it on his side of the mattress.

"Good for you! Neither am I." We both laid down and turned our backs to one another. "Goodnight, Riku," I growled.

"Goodnight," he muttered.


I had too much fun writing this chapter. I really did. I was so excited to post it that I ignored that I lost circulation to my left leg. Yeah, that was weird when I stood up and had only one leg. Anyway. Thank you for all the amazing reviews on the last one! (And if you're interested, I got bored and drew a little note for you guys. I had too much fun drawing that, too.)

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