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 grunted when she was pressed against Riku, her face by his shoulder in height. Her arm that had previously been shielding her eyes moved so that it wasn't pinned between her face and Riku's neck; that hand had found his shoulder so that she was more balanced. She kept her eyes shut, eyebrows furrowed deeply. There was no denying that something was wrong now.

Riku looked down at the person in his arms, easy cradling her smaller frame. "Maybe...you should hang out for a bit," he suggested, noticing her expression. She couldn't even go outside without experiencing some pain. He was going to take her to the hospital, but later; going outside during daylight was a bad choice.

Riku. Of course it was Riku who brought her back inside; Lightning had already suspected that with almost full certainty that it was him. He must have been watching her to see how she reacted to the light. Even with her head pounding and sense of hearing dulled by pain, she understood what he was saying. She'd wait here until it was darker out, then leave. To go to the hospital. She had no choice but to nod faintly in defeat.

Riku kept his gaze down on Lightning, but after a moment, he realized he had to let her go. He helped her stand upright before putting a hand on her upper back. "C'mon," he said gently. She would stay at the gym until sunset, which wasn't too far away.

Lightning removed her hand from Riku's shoulder, but not before realizing that she had been gripping his shirt pretty tightly. Slowly, she lowered the arm and dared to open her eyes. She saw the gym before her, but not in clarity. Spots and blurriness made the images imperfect. The sounds were also duller than they should have been. She really did have a concussion.

Riku guided Lightning back to his office, letting her sit in the chair. "Stay here," he told her quietly. He was going to go tell the other recruits that training was over for today. He grabbed the door and shut it behind him, walking back out to the gym. Everyone was still working out, but he would have to cut them loose early.

Lightning sat back in the chair, hearing the door shut softly. She leaned her head back against the wall, shutting her eyes as well. Serah was going to be worried when she wasn't back in a few hours. Maybe in a few minutes she could text her and tell her to stay at her friend's house for the night. That way she wouldn't need to be worried and fussing over Lightning.

"Guys," Riku called, attracting everyone's attention. "I'm cutting you short today. Put all the weights back on the racks and you're free to go." He smiled a little, but not much, since he was unhappy with Snow's little accident. "See you guys tomorrow."

As things began to clear out in the other room, Lightning sat still. The only bright side of this was that she didn't feel like she was going to throw up. If her head wasn't pounding so badly, she'd want to sleep. But the pain was keeping her there, and encouraging her to regain her alertness. After a few seconds, she began to do just that. She wasn't going to be overly weak here.

Riku went to the front countertop and grabbed his paperwork, something he could work on while he stayed with Lightning. The trainees did just as he said, cleaning up the place before taking off. Once the last one was out, Riku made his way back to his office, opening the door quietly to see Lightning still in his chair. Well, at least she listened.

Though Riku opened the door softly, Lightning still heard it. The noises weren't nearly as dulled as they had been a few minutes ago. She opened her eyes and looked at him as her bangs laid down in one eye more than they usually did. Hair was the last thing on her mind right now anyway.

"I sent the recruits home," Riku said, taking a seat opposite Lightning in a spare chair. "Less noise that way." She would get the relief she needed for right now, and he could do some paperwork for bills that needed to be done. It was a win-win.

Lightning blinked, surprised. "You didn't have to do that," she automatically said. The Guardian Corps was obviously important to Riku, yet he just sent his trainees home early so that she was in less pain. It wasn't his responsibility to spare her of pain. ...And yet...she was touched. Riku really was a friend, and a good one at that.

Riku shrugged, placing his paperwork on his desk and starting to work. "No big deal," he said. He had been working the trainees everyday for the past month. They needed a break for once.

Edited June 16, 201213 yr by Forever Love

Lightning studied Riku. He seemed to be telling her the truth and not just trying to protect her feelings. It was reassuring to her to know that he didn't see her in need of protection and caressing. He saw her strength, but he also saw her need. He was probably the first person who understood her at least somewhat. You're letting him get too close, Lightning. He's going to get hurt. You're going to cause it.

Riku felt Lightning's gaze on him, but he ignored it, focusing on what needed to be done. He did have a first-aid kit, and Cure spells (obviously), but he knew those wouldn't heal a concussion completely. "You need anything?" he asked after a few minutes of silence, jotting some notes down.

Even if Riku wasn't looking at her, Lightning shook her head. "No," she said. She was feeling better now than before, though her head still pounded. And she knew what would happen if she tried to go outside again at that moment. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she knew the sky should be darkening soon. Then she could leave.

"Cure spells won't do much to take care of a concussion," Riku said, speaking his thoughts aloud. "Once the sun goes down, I'll take you to the hospital." He would pay the bill; it was his fault she got hit in the first place. He shouldn't have trusted Snow so easily. Regardless, he would do his best to make up for it.

'I'll take you,' Lightning mentally repeated. She shut her eyes and leaned her head back again. "I can probably make it by myself," she said. He already shut down the gym because of her; that was already more than what was required of him. She wouldn't take up more of his time and force him to go to the hospital with her.

Riku grunted slightly in response, though it was obvious what that sound meant; he didn't take what she said to heart. He was going to take her, and he was going to pay the hospital bill, and he was going to escort her there. That was the end of it.

Behind her closed eyelids, Lightning rolled her eyes. There was no point arguing with Riku; he was stubborn. He had already made up his mind on what he was going to do. Talking to someone so bullheaded and egotistical enough to think that he had all the right answers was annoying. But...he did it with good intentions. That was why Lightning found herself actually liking him. She sat in silence for a while, feeling time tick on slowly. Eventually, she thought she heard the gym door open.

Riku's hand froze, stopping mid-word on the paper when he heard the door to the gym open, his senses picking up on it easily. He turned his head toward his office door and got up, opening the door and looking out. "Gym's closed," he said. But once the person turned around, he stiffened. Zane.

 

"Not looking to workout, Keyblade loser, though you do have some nice equipment set up." Zane passed a treadmill, running his hand along the arm before stepping away from it. "I'm looking for Farron. Seen her around?"

 

Riku's eyes narrowed, sensing trouble. "Not here. Sorry." But he wasn't sorry at all. He still stood in the doorway, and Lightning wasn't getting out of the office. She had a bad day already; this kook wasn't going to make it worse.

Edited June 16, 201213 yr by Forever Love

Lightning was already on her feet when Riku headed to the door. She had been curious about who would come into the gym, thinking that maybe it was Serah. But when she stood behind Riku and stepped over so she could see who was coming in, her eyebrows furrowed. Zane came here, looking for her? How did he know where she was? He probably just assumed I'd be with Riku, but he normally would have been wrong about that. It was coincidence that he looked and she was here today.

Edited June 16, 201213 yr by Peanut

"You're a bad liar," Zane said, jerking his head toward Riku to say that he saw someone's feet behind him. Riku turned around, and Zane noticed the look of frustration in his eyes when he realized Zane was right. "Come on out, Farron."

 

Riku took a step to the side, though unwillingly. If he hadn't, Lightning would have nudged him until he did. He looked to Zane from where he stood, silent for the moment. Why did he want to talk to Lightning?

Lightning stepped out, but not because Zane told her to. It was more because she didn't plan on hiding behind Riku, today or any day. "What?" she said lowly, glaring at him. He looked for her and now he found her. She doubted this was going to be anything but confrontational; Zane was always looking for trouble.