How does someone handle a stressful situation? Run away, pretend it doesn't matter, drink their way to a different world?
There are so many different ways. Yet while the world tells you the many different ways to handle a stressful situation, they don't tell you how to deal with your emotions. There isn't a guidebook, a simple way to make yourself feel better.
It takes effort, and strength. Each unique person has a unique way to try and heal themselves, or at the very least escape.
But what do you do when the stress keeps piling on?
If you cannot run, if you cannot hide, if it centers around you like your pain is the only thing that matters in this world or the next, what do you do?
How do you survive?
...
It has started in gym, but it had leeched into their lives.
Minutes ticked by slowly as Sora stood by his friend, trying to shield him from Ansem's eyes. But as his watchful, predatory gaze never wavered, Riku began to lose himself.
Sora was prepared for racing, for fun. But while fun is temporary, darkness is always there to take you when your joy blinks out.
It is there to swallow you, to force itself into your body until it reaches your soul. To burn its way into your very essence.
Because when bad things happen and you cannot hold your own, the darkness eats away at your being. That's when you become heartless.
The pain weighs you down until your very humanity is gone, and there is nothing left but a body that has had all love and life ripped out of it, slowly and carefully and completely.
While you want smiles to last an eternity, it only lasts as long as time allows.
Riku's hand rose unsteadily, calling Ansem's attention during the game- not that Ansem's attention was ever anywhere else. Riku shifted forward slowly, and Sora trailed behind, unsure of where to go.
Yuffie hit the volleyball and whispered to Sora once she noticed them moving. "Where are you guys going? And isn't..." she hesitated, looking around. "Isn't Ansem kind of weird? Though he is kind of cute." She smiled and tried to lighten the situation, but Sora only looked back at her seriously. She was lifting her arm to pat him before he pulled her arm aside, stopping him from touching her.
"No, Yuffie. Ansem isn't cute at all." Yuffie's eyes widened at Sora's monotone voice and her arm dropped to her side. Wasn't Sora the all-smiling bundle of happiness? Their conversation was cut short by Riku calling his name quietly in the court.
"Sora?" Riku's voice quivered. "Will you come to the bathroom with me?"
"Now, now, Riku. This isn't preschool. You can do things on your own, can't you?" Ansem taunted him, raising his eyebrow. Riku stifled a shiver.
"Yes, sir."
"I do prefer it when you call out my name, Riku. 'Ansem' is fine." Riku's eyes clouded by the second.
"Yes... Ansem." Ansem licked his lips as the boy passed him.
"One more thing, Riku." He grabbed his arm to stop Riku from leaving the room altogether. Riku cringed visibly, his breath coming out in short pants. "Don't be late. I'd hate for you to miss more class time."
Ansem held Riku's arm, waiting for a response. Riku closed his eyes, beads of sweat on his forehead. "Okay, Ansem." Riku nearly fell over when Ansem released his grip, and Riku grimaced.
He sent Sora one last desperate glance before he shuffled to the bathroom and disappeared from sight.
Ansem glanced around the room. "Alright class, use these last few minutes in class to clean up! Put the nets away and make sure not to leave a mess in the storage!" His deep voice boomed around the room, echoing around and surrounding Soras's ears. He could do nothing but watch as Ansem had ripped away Riku's happiness.
...
Ansem trailed behind them, talking with Aerith as she chattered happily. Riku seemed to wince with every word spoken from the man's mouth. Everyone seemed to respect Ansem, and Sora hated it. They could not see past the charismatic exterior, and as all his friends fell to Ansem's smile, Sora's heart clenched.
Riku said nothing once he returned to the bathroom, nor when they headed to Geometry together. Even as the sun smiled behind clouds on their way home after class, nothing changed.
Ansem maintained a steady pace behind them, and sweat trickled down Sora's neck despite the cold. As they passed Sora's house, Riku reluctantly paused. Sora continued walking, and Riku followed- confused but accepting. Their wordless exchange said that Sora wasn't going to leave Riku alone- not right now, not like this.
The sun began to set behind them once they had reached Riku's house. Sora walked to Riku's doorstep and waited for Riku to open the door before he finally turned and said goodbye, heading home. He saw Ansem sizing up the location of the house, Aerith long since gone.
Sora turned back once more. "I'll pick you up tomorrow. Call me if you need anything." He walked along the path to his house, purposefully avoiding Ansem's eyes. Ansem smirked in a knowing dominance, as though Sora were scared.
Sora continued on the pavement, forcefully pushing against Ansem's shoulder as he walked past. Sora didn't turn around, or apologize. He simply ignored Ansem's existence.
It was not a man that had hurt his best friend, but an animal. And as an animal, Ansem didn't deserve Sora's respect.
Sora walked toward his door, pausing before he entered. He turned his back flat against it and slid down. His head thumped against his knees as he held them close. He released his emotions, torn between anger and pain for his friend and what was done to him. It was like the torture never ended for Riku, and Sora could only watch his friend being torn apart from the inside. "Fuck."
Sora listened to the steady thump of his father wandering the kitchen, wondering why his stupid son was late.
Sora took a deep breath. He clutched at the doorknob and pulled himself up, pulling out his keys. The keychain clinked against them, metal on metal.
He didn't want to lose his place in Riku's heart.
Sora was afraid that if time didn't heal Riku's wounds, he couldn't either.
...
I'm sorry. It's not as good as I planned.