Author: Aviy
Title: Shadow of Mine
Character: Riku
Disclaimer: Writing mine, characters not.
Notes: Gift for Ruu. This idea had been puttering around in my head for ages before I managed to write it to my satisfaction. Short.
CC much appriciated. I really don't bite.
They prowled outside his fence, spitting adoration and hissing their loyalty. And he listened to it, heard and stared flatly back at them. Lies or truth, it didn't really matter; they needed him, they needed him and he... he would use them.
Their relationship made the fence futile. Two dozen candles encircled him, a weak halo but enough to keep them at a distance. Not that feet or miles mattered in the Dark, not to the Dark. Worlds away their whispers would reach him, and it would take far more than candle light to keep them back.
The candles were to spite them, that was all they could do.
Or maybe they were to spite himself. The same power that animated them gave him strength. Amazing strength, superior senses, but that power withdrew, snarling, cursing, from the cage of tiny flames he'd created for himself.
Gift.
They whispered to him, the dark voice low but insistance. He'd noticed, lately, that the voice always seemed to come just in time to interrupt his thoughts. But that was coincidence only, the Darkness was certainly powerful, he could never deny that, but it couldn't read minds.
Riku's gift. For Riku. For Ours.
He scowled at their words of ownership, but didn't bother to comment. They weren't intelligent and didn't understand, and after rants, denials and lectures he'd gotten tired of it and let them think what they wished. They followed his orders precisely, and that was all that really mattered. And sometimes they brought him something from the Darkness.
The first such present was given almost immediately upon the start of their partnership: sight. Day, night and twilight were all equally clear to him. Even more than that, he could see the depth of shadow. That first gift allowed him to see the new one, to see that it was perfect. It was the puff of the cheeks, the arch in the eyes, the knobby fingers and stray hairs. It was the smile, black instead of white but still every bit cocky and boyish and his. It was identical but not alive. It's chest moved but didn't breathe, but if it could...if coming into the light would give it color and if it could stir the air and make a sound, then it could have convinced it's fake mother that it was real.
"Sora."
From us. A gift.
It grinned at him from beyond the cage and waved a calloused hand. It couldn't speak, but it's expressions were so clear, so familiar that words weren't necessary.
C'mon, Riku. Wha'cha hiding in there for?
He was sure that they couldn't read his mind, but perhaps he had underestimated the Darkness, even while admiring it's power. Perhaps it could read his heart.
It couldn't stay. They were manipulating him, that was obvious enough. But...as long as he was aware of it, he was safe. It would have to go, eventually, soon.
Reaching forward he put out the candles and one by one, tore down the fence to let his friend's shadow in.