Alright guys, it's time to get into Riku's head. I honestly don't do him often in first-person so criticism is welcomed here.

Thank you everyone for reading thus far.

Warning: There is vulgar language scattered throughout, mainly in the last section.

It doesn't take long for them to crack.

Basking in negativity, thinking of ominous thoughts, accepting the darkness around you and trying to mask yourself in it . . .

I've grown used to it. It's hard for me not to view the world that way. It's like I'm stuck in it.

But Kairi is too pure. It's not possible for her to think that way no matter how hard she tries.

And Sora? Well . . . I'm not sure anymore.

I used to know him. I thought I knew him better than anybody. On our world, in all the worlds?

No one knows him as well as I do. It's impossible to erase that much history. Even if it's just to protect his light Sora can not survive sustaining dark thoughts for long. It's going to break him.

But . . . I guess I could be wrong. He's hidden things from me before. They both have.

I guess I have no right to complain. I hide things from them all the time. Not like it's any of their business. I'm not going to explain everything that's happened to me. They really don't need to know.

However . . . if I know them so well why am I surprised when Kairi runs out of the room, body radiating nothing but fear? Why does Sora's haunted expression trouble me so? I should have expected it, right?

Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps that's just a trick of all this dark energy. Darkness with an edge; darkness with something more.

I may have fallen, I may be in too deep . . . but that's not going to happen to them. They will escape this place. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care even if I have to kill every damn being in this world.

The state of their hearts . . . that's all that matters now.

Don't Be a Gentleman: Peace of Mind

Terra is opening the door. A monster waits outside.

It's different from the creatures that were staring at us earlier. It's by itself for one. And . . . it gives off more of a refined look. I can see vague outlines of a suit amidst the black creased skin and the fleshy yellow eyes. It's hard for me to refer to the creature as "it" . . . I keep wanting to say "he." (and I think I will from now on).

But the hair . . . it's undeniably Sora's style. That unnerves me more than it should.

Speaking of my best friend, he currently looks like he wants to up and bail like Kairi. His face is far from composed. His teeth are scraping his bottom lip, drawing blood. Blue eyes are open wide and it's only because I'm sitting across from him that I can see how red they are. His hands curl and uncurl on themselves, retracting fists posing again and again. It's intriguing watching him freeze up like this. I almost feel sorry for him.

Almost. But lately, I haven't been able to find the will to care. It takes energy to care, energy I don't have.

No, I'm busy with other things. Busy with shit that takes up every second of every day since we came back home. It hurts to say sometimes, but I can't always worry about Sora. It never really helps (and he never notices so why should I?).

Anyway, Sora's face keeps getting worse so I place a hand on his shoulder. His eyes snap towards me and I see them harden upon staring directly at mine. I'm assuming it's because my eyes are yellow. It's so common to me now that it sort of makes me feel weird when he stares directly into them that way (like I'll snap). "It's only one, Sora. We can easily take this guy if he becomes a problem," I mutter, trying not to raise my voice. It wouldn't do for the guy to hear after all.

Sora instantly shakes his head and that's when I know he hasn't heard a word I said. "Riku, it's him," he hisses. "The one with the strings. The one who made me . . . made me . . . " It's all Sora can get out before he looks away, eyes widening more in panic while his entire body shakes.

I place both of my hands on his shoulders. "Come on, Sora. Not here."

"I'm sorry. It's just . . . " He covers his forehead while moaning. "God, it's literally him, Riku! Dammit!"

"Sora, listen to me. You need to shut up and clear your head." I lean back and cross my arms. He better listen now before I beat this out of him. "Just think. What are you going to do? You can't make a scene otherwise Aqua and Terra will kick us out. So what is the solution here?"

Sora blinks very slowly before he instantly stands. "Protect Kairi." He nods quickly, more for himself than for me it seems, then he runs in her direction.

Well . . . that wasn't what I meant but I guess that's as good as I'm getting now. I lift my cup up and take a sip of water. It's hard to swallow, feels like something else is in it. Nasty, seems to fit the spirit of this world . . . if it even is one. I start shifting the murky liquid back and forth in my cup right as I hear someone sit across from me.

I look up into mocking yellow eyes. I can see the flakes of darkness settling near his body all over. It's an omnipresent force around him. It's his aura. But even with all this and his shark's smile I don't look away. So far, it's rather unimpressive (heaven knows I've seen worse). "So," I put my cup down and give him my best bored expression. "You're the one everyone's freaking out about?"

His grin widens more than humanly possible and he makes small circular motions with his four-inch claws, effectively marking the table. "I'm simply the messenger this time around. Though, I have to admit, it was fun fooling around with your precious friends." He tilts his head and it reminds me so much of Sora that I want to punch the monster in the neck. "Your darkness is delicious by the way. I wouldn't have been able to overcome Sora if it weren't for you. I owe you."

It's a miracle that I can even understand him right now. It sounds more like he's hissing rather than speaking. It just makes the accusation worse. I've been trying to forget the fact that Sora had been absorbing my darkness but now hearing his evil double reference it is irritating. It's the same thing as being slapped in the face.

Humph, it doesn't matter. If he had wanted to attack us he would have bolted for Kairi or Sora the moment Terra let him in (they're obviously the main prize here. That's how it always is in more ways than one). For now he probably came to bring a few scares . . . and deliver a message that only I would be willing to listen to. "Fine. Let's hear it," I say, shrugging. Nonchalance is key in these kind of conversations. You never want to act like you care about anything in front of the enemy. It just gives them a weakness to stab you with later.

Too bad Kairi and Sora never catch that.

From the widening smile I'm seeing though I think this guy is seeing through my BS. "The King of The Void seeks your presence."

I narrow my eyes. "King of the Void? Is he the one who teleported us here?"

"No," he grunts the response out. "That was me." He leans back, putting his hands back behind his head (again, something Sora would do). "That was my job in the first place . . . to bring her here. It should have started that way, but I soon became . . . occupied within Sora."

His crescent smile disappears and I can barely see a few fangs peeking out as his mouth forms into a straight line. "The King wasn't amused. Seems I had too much fun. So . . . " He leans forward, tilting his head. "Now he's offering you a deal."

I shrug, trying again to hide the interest surfacing. I mean, what would a random ruler want with a broken soul? Why must I always hold the answers, the potential to power-crazed egomaniacs? There's nothing special about me, I'm starting to get annoyed with the attention. "Like I would even accept."

"It's an offer, not a command. He just wants to talk."

It takes everything within me to not flinch as he continues tapping his claws against the table, making scratches every few seconds. "Not interested," I reply before swallowing.

He stops tapping and leans back against his chair and a gutteral hiss escapes from his mouth (his version of a moan I'm guessing). "Well, I can't leave this joint until you agree to talk." His yellow eyes narrow towards Terra and Aqua who are having a discussion in the kitchen. "I hate coming here . . . "

The level of hatred in his voice surprises me. It's the first time I've seen him show much of any blatant emotion instead of sadism (and that in itself isn't really an emotion. More of an extremely strong obsession with violence than anything else). Perhaps I can get more of a feel of who this guy . . . or thing, whatever he is. A weakness, there's always a weakness. "You hate it. Why?"

His fleshy yellow eyes narrow in my direction. I must be coming on too strong; he knows I'm trying to pry. But since he has to stay and convince me to see some king, he may be willing to open up. Will he?

He gives me that weird variation for a moan again before flexing his claws. "I can't understand them," he growls.

My eyes widen. I'm usually not this sloppy, I didn't care to think about why I could even understand him when his language should be different, like Aqua and Terra's. Well . . . that's probably because of the fact that I sort of understand what Aqua and Terra are saying.

Yes. It still has a foreign lilt to it, and the tone overall is very high and ominous but . . . it's like everything is coming out through whispers. Like a lower form of hissing, but not with the same hostility as Sora's dark double. However, as they spoke I found myself catching some of the words so I could tell when things were getting bad.

Yeah . . . just one of the many things I'm hiding from Sora and Kairi. Not that it's necessary to tell them, I don't even understand why this is happening myself. So I left it alone. It's an interesting coincidence that this creature across from me can't speak it as well. It doesn't make sense at all.

I gasp as one of his claws digs into my hand. I glare at them before pulling away, shaking my hand as blood flows from the cut he gave me. When I look back at his face the crescent smile is back. "Don't over think it. Their speech is special only to them. They are the only human-like beings in this world besides you outsiders and the King of the Void."

"So . . . does that mean we'll soon be able to understand them?" That would explain why I'm picking up the language already . . . well, enough to barely perceive a few phrases. "So you're not human then?"

"I am not an expert in linguistics. If you can let the darkness in your heart escape without being consumed then you will gain knowledge. As for your other question," He tilts his head, leaning it into the palm of his claws. "It depends on perception. I don't consider myself to be human."

I stare at him for a long time after he says that. This world is changing us all, slowly but surely. There's a possibility that we could all be consumed (and judging from what he's told me, I'm probably going to go first). But there's also the issue of this guy . . . he could very well be as human as Terra or Aqua, which makes me wonder what made him this way. What connection could he have to Sora that would allow him to fester within his heart and control him? He can't be a heartless, it just wouldn't fit.

I narrow my eyes and lean forward so that I can look at him better. "Do you have a name?"

His bug-like eyes don't close and his mouth returns to that firm line. "I'm nothing's incarnate. I have no name."

I raise an eyebrow. "Nothing?"

"I am the king's servant. Nothing more. He alone holds the purple chains around a box with my name. It is my bond, my will." He says the whole speech in a robotic fashion that's almost devoid of the dark undertones in his voice that usually comes from the hissing. His eyes narrow again and I watch as he drags his claws into the table towards himself. "I. Have. No. Name."

I flinch back and turn away from him, trying not to let it get to me. It's just such an . . . empty response. If this person was once human it must have been long ago. Their identity was ripped out and locked away, leaving behind a monster in it's wake. I'm surprised that he even told me all that, but then again he probably won't leave until I agree to his master's request. Well, he's given me a lot to think about. Guess it won't hurt to humor him. "When exactly does the king need to speak with me?"

"Four hours. That's how much time you have to contemplate over this. I will remain here and when you're ready I'll make a portal and we will go to him. Otherwise . . . " he gives me a cruel smile. "I'll find Sora and finish what I started with Kairi."

Great, a limit. It's resulted to threats now. "I'm not scared. We outnumber you. Kairi's separated you from Sora before and with me here your plan would fall apart."

"Riku," he says and his voice is quiet, like he's struggling to keep himself from striking out. I watch the flecks of darkness flare briefly around him. "How strong do you think I am? In this world? My own territory?" He laughs. "Terra and Aqua can not help you. You're the closest to being consumed. Do you really want to test that battle strategy?"

I shake violently as he laughs. His hissing vocals aside, when he laughed just now . . . god, it sounded just like Sora. "I'll risk it. I won't hesitate to kill you, human or not."

"Right," His grin widens. "And my demise would only bring the King of The Void here. Wouldn't you rather him speak only to you? Your friends will not have to get involved. He'll let them leave . . . for a price." He taps his fists once against each other. "At least in this way no one has to die, yes? Which do you prefer?"

I grit my teeth. It's a somewhat better offer than I thought. If I can get Kairi and Sora out then at least I would have redeemed myself that much. All I care about is them. What does it matter if I'm stuck here if I'm trapped every day in the real world?

I nod once and sigh. "I have four hours to decide?"

"Three hours and fifty eight minutes and twenty-three seconds." He lifts my cup up to his lips, sipping slowly like a gentleman. "I'll be waiting."

I stand up and walk past him, ready to go find Sora and Kairi. Right as I'm about to enter the hallway I grunt and lean against the wall. Dammit, my hand is burning! Hot needles etching repeatedly in my palm! I raise my right hand and stare at it. In the middle of my palm in bright, purple numbers my time limit burns deeply before fading away. The pain lingers still and the numbers only appear if I squint.

I turn around and stare at the unnamed sadist. He taps his forehead with his claws. "Just so you don't forget."

I want to drop an F-bomb but I simply strut away and walk down the hallway. The damn bastard doesn't deserve the effort anyhow.

When I finally find them after turning a couple of corners both of their faces are flushed. Looks like I missed out on something significant, but it must have ended on an awkward note because they're standing a few feet away from each other, avoiding each other's faces.

Sheesh, did Sora try to kiss her again? He's just going to freak her out. Hmmm, and I recently warned him about it too (for more reasons than one, a few being personal). Whatever. Why should I care if they're sucking face? If they mess up and get into conflict that's their problem. I may be protecting their hearts but that doesn't include their love life. Not anymore, I refuse to do that.

I must be frowning or something because Sora's cross between haunted and concerned expression is back. "Riku, is something wrong?"

Kairi gives me a sympathetic glance, eyes slightly less devoid of the fear that was showing earlier. I sigh and cross my arms, deftly hiding my right hand behind my elbow so that they don't see it twitch from the pain. "It's nothing. I'm thinking is all."

Sora's expression sours while Kairi stares behind me, eyes narrowing. "Is . . . is he still here?" she asks in a whisper.

"Yeah. He's sitting in the cafe, drinking my water to be precise." A mini debate passes briefly through my head before I shove it all away and go with my gut. "I talked to him."

The looks I get from that are priceless. No, it's not in a good way. In fact, if I was given the choice I would erase their expressions from my head. But Kairi is looking at me like I'm some stranger and Sora's face shows anger and hurt. Yeah, these will be popping up in my nightmares at some point.

But anyway, onto the responses. "You did what?" Kairi shrieks and I wince. "You had a chat with him? Riku, he tried to kill us! What were you thinking?!"

I frown. "Kairi, this is a cafe. He didn't randomly attack us when he first came in. He just had a proposal and he wouldn't leave until he got it off his chest so I let him spill it." I shrug. "What else did you want me to do?"

"I don't know! Maybe do your little chit chat with him outside and stab him then! Come on, Riku!" Kairi had her hands up in her hair like she was going to tear it out of her skull by the strands. If I hadn't seen the fright in her eyes I would have labeled it all as being too dramatic.

I start cracking my knuckles in my right hand to distract myself from the pain. "Look, he gave me information. He's also the one who brought us down here in the first place. He's our ticket out of here."

Kairi chuckles darkly. "Yeah, he's the ticket. The ticket to death!"

"For the love of light, Kairi." I turn around and let my back face her so that she won't see me smirk. "You're overreacting."

"Damn you, Riku. Turn around and take a damn good look at my chest! Take a good look! You saw me getting stitched, Mom said you were there as the doctors worked. Go ahead and look!"

I can practically feel her saliva flying at me as she screams. "Your trust in me is insulting. I wouldn't talk with him if the situation wasn't completely secure."

"Secure for you," she mutters along with a bunch of oaths that I've never heard her say in all the years I've known her. Then again, it's not like I see her often after everything that's happened . . . not to mention that one time when I kissed her. But the fact that she's cussing this much just proves how scared she is.

Damn, Sora, some of this better be sinking into your head. "Kairi, you need to calm down." I'm staring directly at her now but she's ignoring me, facing the wall. I sigh. "It's really not that bad. I can guarantee that much."

"What's bad for you is devastating for us, Riku. You barely reveal the full state of things as it is," she mumbles.

Well, I'll admit it. There's truth in that remark. "You're right. It is devastating for you. That's why I can barely tell you anything. You simply can't handle it, Kairi." There, take that for honesty and shove it down your throat, girl. I can do this better than you. I've been doing it for so long, and I'm doing it now. Gonna take more than a few damn observations to top this.

If you couldn't tell before, I'm angry now. Bet she is too. Pfft, the hell I care. I'm sick of Kairi controlling me. Thinks she knows better, she can barely find Sora without coming to me. Hell, I gave her Sora's address! The hell she have the right to talk me down!

Ugh . . . I can't deal with her right now. I'm seriously going to blow and I can't be around her when that happens. Dammit.

Hmmmm, Sora's still staring. He hasn't said anything either. "Well, you going to defend your girlfriend or what?" I smirk. "Do you agree with the crap she's spouting? Huh? You think I'm just some insensitive bastard waiting for that sweet moment where you both die? Why even tag along when I bring you both down, right? You're thinking that aren't you?!"

Sora's eyes harden into blue slits and when he responds his voice is cold. "We need to talk."

"We are talking!" I almost want to laugh but I hold it back cause it would sound demented if I did it now.

"In private, Riku." Sora grabs me and opens a random door, pushing me in the room before closing it and locking it.

I lean against the wall. "She can probably still hear us."

"I don't care if she hears. I just don't want her to see us."

See us? What is that supposed to mean? I narrow my eyes and huff. "Well, what is it?"

Sora stands in front of me. Besides his blazing eyes he actually looks calm. "Go ahead and let it out. You feel like hitting something, right? You have the freedom to do it."

I look past him at all the furniture in the room, which includes a twin-size bed in the middle. "Do you want us to get kicked out? You think I would randomly destroy the property of people who took us in? Seriously, Sora?"

Sora gives me this strange, dark smile. "I wasn't talking about the furniture, Riku."

No. "You don't want Kairi to see . . . " I mutter, glaring at him now. Great, fantastic. Is this from him focusing on negative thoughts or what? "I can't do that."

"Either you hit me now or you're going to lose control later. I'd rather it be me than her. I saw the way you were looking at her. Don't deny it." Sora looks angry now.

"Are you kidding me? What is this?" I walk around in circles, glaring at the ceiling. It's ridiculous because I'm at the point where I don't care who gets hurt. Ugh, but then I'm going to regret it later and then I'll see his stupid smirking face every time I close my freakin eyes. Hell! "This is bull."

"No. It's not, Riku." He gets closer, stopping a few feet away before talking. "Just get it over with."

I don't give him the chance to say anything more. My fist was already flying the moment he took another step towards me. In less than a second he's on the ground, coughing and holding his chest. "Dammit! You could've blocked, moron!" I grip my hair, hoping I didn't damage something vital. "You're crazy."

"No . . . " Sora lifts his face, giving me a look of defiance. "You're crazy if you think you can keep it all in and hide it all. We have eyes, Riku! We're not stupid! You can't keep doing this to Kairi!" Tears spill and he punches the ground. "You can't keep doing this to ME!"

Give me a break. "Grow a pair, Sora. You think you get it?! You think you know how I feel? You haven't seen anything, you know why? Because I don't let you! If you saw even a miniscule amount of what I go through every day you would be afraid to leave your freakin bed at night!" I punch him somewhere where the damage won't be fatal; the shoulder.

Sora doesn't even notice it. He's too busy screaming. In the next second I feel his knee ram into my stomach. The force of the hit knocks the wind out of me and I struggle to breathe as his hands slam my shoulders against the wall. "Don't you dare! Don't you freakin ever say that to me again!" He's crying freely now but he looks so angry too and his hard blue eyes are so close that I can vaguely make out some purple spots. "I. Do. Understand."

"No," I don't know when the switch came, but now I'm the one who sounds calm. "No. You don't and you never will, Sora."

He freezes then steps back from me. He doesn't even blink when he speaks again, voice low and broken. "I'm not that naive. I know what's out there, Riku. I know what's next for you."

I roll my eyes. "Do you?"

"Yeah. What else is there? You got rid of Ansem, so all there's left is . . . consumption."

He's talking like I'm about to die or something. Sheesh. "You mean I'll turn into a heartless." I snicker. "Right."

Sora blinks once, tears still falling down his face but he doesn't bother to wipe them. "Do you know what it's like, Riku?"

"Well . . . " Hmmm, huh . . . never really thought about that. "Probably not."

"Do you know what it feels like not to have a heart, Riku? Do you know what it feels like to be empty, to have your soul barely strapped to nothing as you wander aimlessly? Have you ever felt like if you jumped you would just keep falling until your body dissolves into nothing? Have you ever stared at the light and thought about how much you hate it because it hurts so much? Have you ever felt so . . . alone? Did you ever feel lonely because you felt like you were the only thing in a world where nothing existed?"

"I can't answer all of that, Sora." And this conversation is starting to sound similar to one I had earlier. Coincidence?

"Riku . . . I know, alright? I've been there. I stabbed myself through the heart with a Keyblade to do it. I destroyed my own body and became a heartless!" He pants a few times before continuing. "It may have been a few minutes for everyone else, but it felt like years for me. I've been in the end stage before. I know sometimes you don't think it's worth it to keep fighting, but it is. You don't want what comes next, trust me." Sora lets out a long sigh.

"Sora . . . " I take a step forward but he stops me by holding up a finger.

"No, Riku. Months ago I was possessed by some demented version of myself who almost made me kill the girl I love more than my life. Okay?! I freakin understand, got it?!"

"Yeah." I look away from his harsh gaze. "I get it."

"Say that to my face, Riku."

I suck in a deep breath before looking him straight in the eyes, voice hollow. "You don't have to say anything else. You've proven your point." As well as successfully making me feel like an idiot, which I deserve. I smile and shrug because nothing else I say could really fix any of this. He's right, he's nearly been through everything. It just reminds me even more that Sora will always be the closest one to me, it was silly to think that everything would go unnoticed.

I guess a part of me misses the old him. The old Sora would have never challenged me, he would have never been mad enough to hit me hard enough to make my bones crack. And, when it comes to my emotions, this new Sora is someone that I can't hide everything from.

It's a humbling realization, but it's also unwanted.

Sora looks . . . conflicted now. It's Like he's struggling with an idea about what he's going to do next or how he should act. I'm about to turn away when he pulls me forward and kisses me on the lips. I gasp and push him away, rubbing my mouth furiously. "What is wrong with you?" I ask, though it sounds more like a growl.

"Stop lying, Riku." His fingers slide down the side of my face and his expression is sympathetic. "You've always wanted that too, right?" He moves his hand down, tracing over my mouth. "The way you looked at me at Kairi's place . . . the way you're staring at me now . . . I should have realized sooner," he says bitterly.

What the-No! "How many times do I have to reassure you and Kairi?! Get away from me!" I shove him hard while covering my eyes. "Ugh, you can be so stupid sometimes . . . "

This isn't working. I can't be in the same room with him. Where the heck am I supposed to go though?

"Riku . . . you don't have to hide it."

"Shut up, Sora!" Pfft, like I don't have to. He doesn't know what he's saying.

He must deliberately want to twist a needle through my heart. I didn't say anything about that! I didn't mention anything these past few months; not when he kept visiting and annoying the crap out of me, not when he kept talking about Kairi and her needs, and not when he finally noticed that I was going through stuff and I held back from sharing even though I was dying inside. How would he even get that idea?! I told him a long time ago that I was over it!

Crap, where did I slip? Have I been staring at him too much? Wait, did Kairi say something? No, she wouldn't do that. "Look, Sora . . . just . . . ugh, why did you have to go and do that?" I openly glare at him, trying to push every other emotion away besides hatred.

He may be seeing more of the truth, but he can't know how I really feel. It messes stuff up every time and I can't be blamed for that anymore.

Sora is just standing there like an idiot but he hasn't moved. "I did it because I missed every time you needed it. I know it hurts to share what it's like to feel a certain way. But . . . after what happened with Kairi, whether other people share or not, I've decided that I might as well say everything I need to." He takes my hand and squeezes it. "I'm willing to talk about this. I don't want this subject hanging over us, dragging our friendship down."

"What exactly do we need to talk about? I'm not sure what subject you're referring too." My tone is completely livid.

Sora sighs then lets go of my hand. "You know what I'm talking about, Riku."

"Sora, I don't have feelings for you. End point. There's nothing to be discussed."

"Yes, there is. You said you don't have feelings for me. But you did before and that's what matters." Sora looks at the ceiling now as if he's deep in thought. "People get over certain emotions in different ways. Maybe talking about it more will make you feel better. Then you wouldn't have such a hard time fighting the darkness."

I narrow my eyes. I'm trying to my best to only appear angry, but this whole conversation is stressing me out. "What makes you so sure?"

Sora moans and gives me an exasperated look. "I don't know! But being acknowledged has to help, right? It's better than being ignored, right?" He sighs and drops his hands. "I know you and Kairi think I miss the important stuff sometimes. Well, if I actually do try to put in my input when it counts you guys dismiss it as me being unexperienced or too nice. But . . . I'm different now. I've been through more and I can handle more mature topics. So . . . " He crosses his arms and nods once with nothing but determination showing on his face. "I'm going to help you get over this if you haven't already."

Wait, what? Is he talking about counseling? "I think that is a horrible idea," I mutter.

Sora smiles. "I disagree. I think this will help you find peace."

I roll my eyes. "What this will do is make me more pissed and ruin the one good relationship you've ever had with your girlfriend. Did you even tell her about this plan of yours?" If she's truly been listening this whole time we're probably screwed.

"I haven't gotten to that." He hesitates somewhat but the response ultimately comes out firm.

"Right, so this is one of those fifteen-minute ideas then?"

Sora frowns. "Longer than that, and I had help so there's double the support even if Kairi has a problem with it."

Oh no, don't tell me-"Help from who?"

His sheepish grin reveals the answer early and when he says it it's just an extra punch to the face. "Roxas."

Uh huh. "I need some space to think."

"Right, of course." Sora's smile widens. "That's what I expected."

"Just leave. You're making me uncomfortable." He sees one little slip up and all of a sudden he's an expert.

"Yeah." He pats my shoulder once then leaves the room, closing the door softly behind him.

I push back against the door in case he changes his mind. After a few minutes I let myself slide down and sit on the floor, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.

I try to clear my mind like I usually do but I know from the start that it's not going to work. It's all muffled anyway, all the shouting has made me tired I guess. Whatever, I don't care about the feelings I had for Sora because I don't have them. Why should I drift through the past and bring up the soreness when I'm already through with it?

Wait, why am I even considering the idea of talking about it more? It's completely illogical. It wouldn't help at all. Maybe for someone else, but not me.

And . . . my hand is burning again. Perfect timing. I bring it up and it says that I have three hours left. Were we all really shouting for fifty minutes? Hell . . .

"Great, now what?" I ask but no one answers. Obviously. Looks like I'm going to need to make decision. A fast one, if I hold it back for too long I'm going to lose it.

Humph . . . I'm not telling them. I can't bring myself to talk to either of them in the next hour and even with the time limit there's always a chance that Sora's double will get impatient and start messing with them early to push me along.

So . . . I guess the question is when I'll actually leave. Ugh, it's just an offering. There can't be anything life threatening about this, I have nothing that this ruler would want.

Everything in this world is attracted to light . . . and mine's barely there. What more could he want?

"Peace of mind, huh?" I grimace.

Sora is wrong. Dealing with my own issues won't bring me peace. Only setting my friends free will.

And if that doesn't do it then I don't care. In fact I don't even need it. Peace is nice to think about, but in the end it's just not within my reality.

My reality is here and now . . . and all that's left right now is setting them free. That's the priority.

And . . . that's my decision.

Well . . . I'm exhausted. No, seriously, writing Riku does that to me. I've never done this much for him in my entire writing career. This was a challenge and I have no idea how it got so long.

Anyway, I hope you can all see that Riku doesn't like sharing much when it comes to his emotions or how he really feels about this situation. This is part of the reason his thoughts really don't carry on as long as Sora and Kairi . . . for the most part. I'm sure with this length you guys don't believe me.

It was an enjoyable challenge nevertheless. Thank you all for reading this far and for your lovely reviews! The criticism has really helped and it motivates me to push this story along. Never underestimate yourselves, you guys are part of the reason why this story has come this far.

Justice T.