- -Shaded- -

----------------------

Weee...! Let's read a story!

This story has just a tiny hint of yaoi. I'm not sure where this one could possibly go. Let's find out!

Maahahaha...

Disclaimer: Me no own any characters of Kingdom Hearts. *grunt*

---------------------------------

The moon was brighter than last night.

Riku had managed to persuade Ansem to let him be by himself tonight. After everything that had happened, a night just to 'relax'..or at least try to relax, would be nice. Around him was a field of soft green grass that stretched out as far as the eye could see; there were dirt paths scattered around here and there, but who would want to step in those muddy things?

"Sora, no doubt."

A small smile appeared on Riku's face at the thought of his childhood friend. "I hate you."

The moon above was definetly brighter tonight; it was sickly pale and casted a beautiful but gloomy light on everything in its way. Behind him as he walked, Riku's shadow followed him. Copying his every move. ". . ." Riku turned around and noticed his shadow stretched on the ground. When was the last time he ever just..watched..his shadow?

He watched the murky being attached to him for a while, studying it. "You're all void of emotion and texture....what a bleak existence.."

Riku placed a hand on his hip. The shadow did the same.

"Well come on, move why don't you. Do something by yourself." Maybe Riku was going crazy. Coaxing his own shadow to be its own person? Riku warned Ansem that going to Neverland might make him go nuts...

Kneeling down, Riku extended his hand to poke at his shadow. His hand touched down on the dewed grass blades instead. Another moment passed as Riku's hand tried again to poke his shadow.

"Hmph.." He was a bit disappointed. All he poked was grass! That wasn't how a shadow was supposed to feel.

A crisp current of air breezed past the field, making the grass sway like ocean waves. "Mm..." Riku crossed his arms to try and keep warm. Fine. If his shadow wouldn't do anything, he'd... Riku waited a second to decide what he'd do. Slowly, with a slightly crazy grin on his face, he raised up his foot above his shadow.

"You're it!" He rammed his foot into the shadow, making the ground underneath his foot to cave in and collapse into a rather vast crater. Ever since Ansem had taken over, Riku's stats had gone through the roof. Strength being one of the benefits... and speed.

Laughing like a maniac, Riku sprinted at a mind-blowing pace through the field.

Back at the crater, Riku's shadow crawled out and shook itself off without making any sound whatsoever. It stomped the ground in silent frustration and sailed across the ground at nearly the same speed as Riku himself.

Sensing the incoming playmate, Riku looked back and saw his shadow twisting and wrenching along the ground- it was trying to go faster to attach itself to him again.

"Ha! Whatever.." Riku laughed and let the shadow come an inch away before leaping backwards and darting off in a new direction. His shadow looked back and smacked into one of the boulders that could be found every few miles or so.

It slithered back onto the ground with an irritated mark on its head.

Riku's surroundings were nothing but a blur as he ran blindly through the night. In a blink of an eye his shadow was at his ankles. "!!!!" Riku squealed and laughed, all most tumbling to the ground from surprise.

He hopped up into the air and stayed air borne for a few moments- - as he neared the ground his shadow extended its arms to grab onto Riku and attach itself again. "Yeah right." Riku accelerated his downward memento and drove his heals into the shadow's gut; then in a split second Riku was all ready half way across the field.

"Man.." Gasped Riku as he realized he was getting tired. He slowed down and placed his hands on his knees, breathing deep. As if on que his shadow glided across the grassy field.

"Mm..!" Riku hopped up in the air again and jumping back up, just barely missing the shadow's grasp. When his shadow got too close Riku cried out and then chuckled at how stupid he must've looked.

"Get away get away!" Riku swatted the air and hopped back up again. He was moving so fast that a normal human being could only see a blur.

Right as Riku's foot touched down on the ground, his shadow split into three and advanced on him from all sides- that would've been no problem to dodge if Riku hadn't sense another presence near by. "Who's ther-- ugh!!" Riku's shadows pulled him down and wiggled itself around to get attached again.

Riku lay on the ground, looking up at the sky..and also the dark figure hovering 20 feet in the air. "......" Riku's face blushed a cute shade of pink. "Great..just how much did you see, anyways?" Riku asked in a grumpy voice. He'd learn that Ansem could just as easily read his thoughts, so it was better to just say everything instead of trying to hide it.

Even though Ansem was shrouded in darkness, he could feel that Ansem was smirking at him. He saw it all! How embarrassing!!

"Ugh! Whatever! Just take me home!!" Riku crossed his arms and looked away from Ansem to try and avoid that seductive smirk on his face. It got annoying! Especially since Riku couldn't help but blush whenever he saw it.

A dark portal opened up right next to where Riku was laying. He glared up at Ansem in a childish way. So with arms still crossed and an angry pout on his lips, Riku rolled into the dark portal and disappeared.

His shadow did the same.

----------------------

Who liked, who didn't? Feedback so I know if this story will die or not. peeeeeze.

~Thanks for reading!~