compnetwork | RIKU → first dawn || video

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RIKU → first dawn || video

[There's a long-haired boy on the video, glancing around as he walks. He's checking out the city streets, but his brightly-coloured eyes keep flicking up to the sky -- it's been a while since he's seen a real one.]

Uh, can someone tell me where this is?

[One hand comes up to rub at a black collar on a scarred throat -- the hand is made of some kind of silvery metal, and the scar on his throat is horizontal, like it was slit.]

Not F3 or something stupid like that?

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You always assume the worst of me.

[He saw that coming, though, and he smiles gently, looking away again. He's not sure what they should do, though, either, and he nods quietly.]

I won't mind whatever decision you guys make. I'm the newcomer, after all. Though, if you let the girls decide, I think I can guess what they'll want to do. Are you okay with that?

[Somehow, he doesn't think Josh will be, but he'd like to think the other boy might surprise him.]

... Perhaps I simply assume the worst of myself. I'm perfectly aware that I'm one of the most difficult people to get along with.

[He sighs a little and looks down, hiding his eyes. Yes, that's true... The girls would undoubtedly try and get everyone to get along and live side by side. It wasn't something Joshua was good at. In fact, he really wasn't sure he could do it.

But with everything that's happened, there were two fatal mistakes he could make here. The first would be choosing to live alone. After everything that's happened, if he chose to seclude himself again, he knew his mental stability would shatter. He was aware that even Riku knew that. After Suki was terminated.... Riku... he was one of those few who showed up at Joshua's apartment uninvited to try and keep him from going under. An action Joshua still didn't understand.

The second fatal mistake, if he chose to turn Riku away. Not that he didn't think Riku could handle it, but Riku had been friends with Kairi and Naminé for so much longer. They'd been cloned with memories of each other, a lifetime of memories. If he turned Riku away, chances were that Kairi and Naminé would discover the reason why and become upset with him. After all the hell he'd put them through, after the loss of many of their friends recently, denying them the comfort of living with one of their closest friends would... probably result in unpretty consequences. Perhaps they would never speak to him again, perhaps they'd simply kick him out...

The only remaining solution was obvious.]

I'm going to have to be. It isn't... the most desired of situations. But I truly have no choice. [Joshua shakes his head a little.] What about you? Would you honestly be okay with this solution?

You don't make much of an effort to change, though.

[He can see Joshua working it out in his head -- his thoughts are written all over his face. He won't complain, no matter which outcome Joshua would come up with. It's not right of him to protest, as the newcomer, and given their prior relationship, Joshua probably wouldn't appreciate it either.

Finally the other boy speaks, and he blinks in surprise. Not what he was expecting. But he nods at the question.]

... Well, yeah, I guess I would be. I'm not... out to get you or anything, you know. I don't mind. It's not like we'll have to share a room.

[Riku's words, about change, make Joshua's eyes snap up at him coldly. There's no snarl, there's no deep frown, just severely angled brows and a gaze dark enough to be pitch black.]

You have no idea what you're talking about.

[He looks away, jaw locked tightly and hair hiding his eyes once more as he attempts to calm himself down with deep breaths.]

...I'm not out to get you either. I hope you understand that. So long as we... mind each other's business, we should be able to tolerate one another. Though I'd prefer it if you kept your rash judgments about me to yourself.

[He's startled by this -- he hadn't meant to be offensive. He just doesn't see an effort, that's all. But maybe Joshua is different from the way he was originally? Riku supposes he'll never know, given he can't go back in time to Joshua's home to see.

Riku's quiet, unsure what to say to this. He nods after a moment passes in silence between them. Honestly, he feels bad.]

Sorry. I didn't mean to be... offensive. I just... can't see it from where I'm standing. That's all.

... I don't need to validate to you everything I've been through to get to where I am. I don't need to prove to you that I've changed, and I'd simply prefer it if we left it at that.

[Joshua gently touches the right half of his face, gaze still obscured by his hair... He wouldn't let it slip but... the fact that Riku couldn't see any progress with his behavior was making him feel quite insecure. Even he himself had trouble believing he'd changed, he always had to get other people like Neku to tell him so.]

Just stay out of my business, alright?

... yeah, I can do that.

[He feels like it's obvious to him now that there might not be a point in trying someday to reach out to Joshua. Riku isn't going to bother him if he doesn't want him to, after all. Sora can make friends with anyone, but... that's his talent, not Riku's.

After another moment he nods quietly, unsure whether to hang up or not. He's pretty sure Josh doesn't want to talk to him, but... he does feel bad.]

... sorry.

... Quit apologizing. It's fine. We have our differences, and there isn't anything wrong with that. This is a truce between us, alright?

[He gives Riku a bit of a frustrated look, before his expression just shifts into a tired one.]

Whenever I call a truce, I mean it.

[He's not going to say so, but it seemed that half of the time he called truces with people, he ended up being good friends with them... Joshua really can't see that happening between the two of them, and he doesn't really want to try to.]

... Okay. If you're sure, then I'm willing.

[He has no idea about that, but it just seems that that's how things work sometimes, isn't it?]

Then it's settled... We'll talk to Kairi and Naminé about it, then, and get it arranged. Thank you, for working this out with me.

[Joshua just looks away and shakes his head.] We'll talk later... [He shuts off the feed only a moment later.]

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RIKU → first dawn || video

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