As some of you may know, Peanut and I are crazy about Roleplaying, and it's clear, since this is the second one on this site that belongs to us. And we aren't even done with the first one! Regardless, that won't stop us from starting this new roleplay, Rude Awakening!

 

Kinda dark and mysterious title, eh?

 

As stated in the title, this RP is one on one, no exceptions. Please refrain from posting in the RP. Instead, follow us on this new journey!

 

Peanut, my amazing friend, let's begin!

Lightning gazed up at Riku, her arms loosening around her legs when she sensed he wouldn't yell at her. But as for his comment... "I don't know what else to do," she said quietly, tone sad. She was shutting him out just so that she could keep herself together a little bit. He didn't want to see her crying again and she knew it. And besides...she didn't want to be weak.

Riku's eyebrows furrowed a little at that, the young man taking a step onto the balcony. "You can trust me, Light," he said quietly. She knew that she could, but she was choosing not to. She was deciding that shutting him out would be the best option. But...she was wrong. Pushing Riku away would only make things worse. After all, he was here to protect her. He was her guardian from here on out, even if she did have the ability to fight.

"I do trust you," Lightning stated quietly. And trusting him could be considered pathetic, considering that he left her all alone for two months. But within the past two days, he rescued her from the castle, kept her safe as she recovered from the Guardian...stood up to her father for her sake...And brought her here. But perhaps the biggest thing he did was cherish her. The past two months seemed to have strengthened his feelings for her, not weaken them.

Riku only gazed at Lightning after she said those words. There was something he was missing here, wasn't there? "...But?" he prodded. There was something more to what she was saying. That much Riku could tell.

"I trust you," Light repeated softly, turning around completely but looking down at her knees as she spoke. "...I don't trust myself." Every single thing that happened today, Riku took in stride while Lightning was struggling to catch up. Granted, it had been more of an emotionally shocking day for her. A dead father being alive, her mother's suicide not being suicide...having found out she spent the last two years hating her mother for nothing. It was enough to break a person, and she felt like she was doing just that.

Riku didn't completely understand, and he was sure that was written all over his expression. He didn't say anything, wishing for Lightning to elaborate on that. He wanted to know why she couldn't trust herself, of all people. Was she scared?

Light only briefly glanced up at Riku before looking back down at her knees. She didn't want to shut him out, so...she kept talking. "Everything that's happened in the past two days is insane," she started quietly. "I found out things I wish I never knew. I was put into situations where I never expected to find myself. I was so...weak. Afraid." She gritted her teeth, shaking her head as moisture again appeared in her eyes. "I can feel myself breaking, and I don't want to. I don't want to..." If she broke, maybe she'd never be okay again.

Riku blinked in surprise, not expecting to hear Lightning...explain herself so specifically. He just wanted her to tell him that she trusted him, and why she did. But...she was telling him reasons why she didn't trust herself. "Fear is nothing to be ashamed of," he said. Riku still got scared sometimes. It was just part of being human.

"It is when it threatens to take control," Lightning stated quietly. Fear and pain...That was what convinced her to nearly give into her father earlier. It had partially been her pain and partially Riku's, since he was getting tortured for her sake too. She had been so afraid for him that...she was willing to basically die for him. That wasn't good.

Riku approached Lightning in silence, taking her hands once he was in front of her. She was still sitting on the wall, so there wasn't much of a height difference. He squeezed Lightning's hands, gazing at them. She wouldn't need to be afraid anymore. Riku would protect her from that, but only if she let him.

Light slowly lowered her legs, though her hands remained in Riku's. His hands felt so strong, and hers felt so frail. "I have to be strong," she said quietly, keeping her eyes on their hands. "I can't be afraid. I can't be weak. I might have to fight alongside you..." She wasn't referring to general fighting, but to the final battle. The seven against the thirteen. She might have to go into that battle with him...

"No," Riku said, his voice hard at the suggestion. But then he squeezed Lightning's hands, calming himself down. "No, don't talk about that right now." Riku didn't even want to think about it. He didn't want to think of the possibility that Lightning would have to battle Xehanort alongside him. That thought was....awful.

Lightning kept her eyes on their hands, knowing that Riku could lose his temper if she continued down that trail. She kept her mouth shut, keeping her thoughts to herself. They shouldn't have been talking about anything at all. He was exhausted, she was emotional, and they needed a break from all the tension. The last thing they needed was more tension than they already had.

Riku lifted his gaze to Lightning then, taking a step away from her as he continued to hold her hands. His actions should have spoken for him. Come with me...please. He just wanted to lay down, and he knew that Lightning needed to do the same. There was only one bed, but Riku would let Lightning have it. He'd slept in places more uncomfortable than the floor before.

Lightning obeyed the gentle tugging of Riku's arms, silently sliding off the wall so that she stood on her own two feet. It was obvious that they were going to the bedroom now. On any other day, it would have been weird for them to share a bedroom. They napped together on the couch before, but this was different. Tonight though, there was too much going on for her to be concerned about such things.

Riku kept one hand in Lightning's as he turned, starting away from the balcony and into the room that the King assigned to them. He led Lightning to the bed, but he didn't sit down or lay down first. She would take the bed, and he would take the floor. The carpet was better than rock any day.

Lightning automatically sat on the edge of the bed, though she was surprised for a moment that Riku didn't join her. Then it clicked. He wasn't planning on using the bed, just because she was in it. She shook her head and tugged at his hand, urging him down with her. It was all right. He needed a comfortable place to sleep too...

Riku's eyes expressed his confusion as he gazed at Lightning. "....You're sure?" he asked softly. Sharing a bed could suggest a few things, and lead to others, like him eventually wrapping his arms around her or vice versa. He didn't want to make things awkward between them, not more than they already were.

Lightning nodded softly, her hand now gripping Riku's in return. "I'm not letting you sleep on the floor," she said quietly. After all that he did for her, she couldn't allow that to happen. If she got uncomfortable with the two of them in the bed, she'd be the one moving to the floor, not him. He needed the bed more than she did.

Riku nodded after another moment of hesitation, looking from Lightning to her boots. "Take those off," he told her softly, loosening his hold on her hand. He would move to the other side of the bed and lay down too, since that was what Lightning wanted.

Light bent down and loosened her boots before taking them off, allowing them to lay at the foot of the bed. These new clothes would take some getting used to, but at least they were comfortable. She did remember to take off her shoulder guard as well, and then she turned off the lights but the one right next to Riku's side of the bed before she laid down on her back.

Riku stood on his side of the bed as he took off his arm guard, setting it down on the bedside table before he took off his vest. He tossed it to a nearby chair, too tired to care much for it. Once that was off, he untied his shoes and then sat down on the bed, though he didn't turn off the light just yet. He just...needed a minute to think before he went to sleep. As soon as he put his head on that pillow, he knew he would be out.

Lightning rolled onto her side after a few moments, peeking her eyes open and seeing Riku's hand pressed into the bed as he sat. Without thinking, she reached over and wrapped her own hand around it before her eyes shut. He needed to know that she was there for him as much as he was there for her. He wasn't alone.

Riku glanced over at his hand, curling his fingers around those that were clutching him. He looked over his shoulder at the girl who rested in the bed, lightly squeezing her hand. I'm going to protect you, he told her silently. I haven't done a good job lately, but after tonight, that's going to change. He was going to be her guardian, no matter what. He would protect her with his life.

Lightning faintly felt the squeeze, though her senses were already dimmed as her body sank into the bed. She hoped that she was truly going to lose consciousness this quickly and leave the world behind, because dreams had to be more pleasant than this reality. She exhaled a quiet breath through her nose, hoping Riku got the rest he needed tonight as well.