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!

Namine's heart fluttered at the small kiss, and she looked up at Roxas with wide eyes. A hand lifted to her cheek as she gazed at him, shock in her eyes. But...it was a good thing. The butterflies she felt convinced her the surprise and blush she felt warm her cheeks were good reactions. And by Roxas's rosy cheeks, it was for him too.

Roxas took in the look on Namine's face for a few seconds. She wasn't offended. Surprised, yeah, but not offended. His shoulders slumped slightly in relief as he offered her one last weak smile. He turned around and started out, knowing now that he wouldn't sleep anytime soon. He'd be awake all night thinking about that face. 

Namine watched Roxas leave, a little sad to see him go, but she was also relieved; he wouldn't be around to see her think about that kiss, however small it was. Once he was out of the room and down the hall, she looked at the doorway, smiling to herself. "Goodnight, Roxas," she replied softly. Namine wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, but not because of Seifer. This time, it would be a good reason: Roxas.

Edited March 12, 201411 yr by Forever Love

The Next Day

 

Serah sat by her sister's side, unable to take in what she now knew despite having been in the castle for several hours. Lightning was in a wheelchair. She was hurt and unable to walk and she said that it was psychological and not physical. Lightning was so strong mentally--how could this have happened to her? What could have put her in this state? Serah looked over the expanse of the bedroom, seeing Sora talking to Riku's parents. Sora brought her and Riku's parents to the castle--Serah to see Lightning and Riku's parents to see their son and get away from the hounding paparazzi that were always at their doorstep. Riku was nowhere to be seen yet though. It was a shame, since Serah really wanted to talk to him to see what details Lightning was hiding from her. 

Riku walked down the hallway, hair messy and eyes red from lack of sleep. His hands were balled into tight fists as he fought off anxiety and thoughts of what he'd recently viewed. Over the past few nights he'd been watching the tape Jihl so graciously kept for his and Lightning's enjoyment. Not only couldn't he sleep, but if he did, he woke up from a nightmare an hour later. Sleeping had been out of the question for the last few days, and his appetite was gone after all the blood and torture he'd witnessed. Riku turned, walking into his bedroom to find that it was occupied by more than just Lightning, which he didn't understand. Why would she be in his room? And Serah...and Sora and his parents? Riku stopped in the doorway, blinking as his eyebrows furrowed. What was going on?

Edited March 12, 201411 yr by Forever Love

Sora turned his head to look at the door along with everyone else, staying silent. The only person who managed to say anything was Riku's mom, and all that she could manage to utter was Riku's name. He looked completely awful. Sora hadn't seen him much the past few days since Riku skipped meals and didn't want company. Something was seriously wrong, and hopefully somebody in that room could help him somehow. 

Locke stood next to his wife and Sora, and upon seeing Riku, he frowned. "...Son," he said, attracting Riku's direct attention. He looked...terrible. Locke had never seen him in such a state.

 

Riku's aquamarine eyes darted from his parents to Sora and then to Serah and Lightning. He knew exactly what this was. An intervention, a plan to help him "get better." Riku didn't need it. He didn't want it. The only person capable of doing this was Sora, and Riku's eyes sharpened into a glare as he looked at his so-called friend. "You did this," he growled. Sora set him up for this.

Sora blinked, automatically furrowing his eyebrows as he looked at his best friend. "Yeah," he agreed. "I did." Riku was avoiding everyone, including him. He had to do something extreme to try and bring his best friend back. 

Riku shook his head after a moment, taking a step back as he looked at everyone in the room. "Take them back," he said, referring to the Islands. He couldn't handle this. He didn't want to see any of them, not his family and not Serah or Lightning. Especially the latter. "You were stupid to bring them here." They wouldn't help him; they would only encourage him to separate himself further. He didn't want them seeing him like this.

 

"Riku," Locke scolded. This was stupid. Sora was just trying to help. He was being the best friend to Riku that he'd always been. There was no reason for Riku to scold him for doing something so considerate.

"You're the one who's being stupid," Sora retorted. "Don't you see how worried everyone is?" Riku had to see it in the times where he wasn't avoiding them. And he was being stupid if he thought Sora was taking them back to the Islands. He and Lightning created quite a stir with the media and anyone connected to them was being harassed because of it--including Riku's parents.

"So what?" Riku asked, eyebrows furrowing further. "It's not like it's anything new." His parents worried he would fall back into the Darkness. They were right. He was. But the one thing they were wrong about was Lightning; she wasn't a bad influence on him, it was the other way around. Riku got her involved in a war (even if it was no more) that she wasn't meant to be in, at least until Cedric insisted otherwise. And then Cedric... Just the reminder had Riku's fists tightening. That man was rotting in hell, that much Riku was sure of.

Sora was too stunned by the harsh reaction to respond; it was Serah who stepped forward. She walked out of her chair and up to Riku, stopping right in front of him as she looked up into his eyes. He was angry, but more than anything, he was sad. Serah could tell--she was always good at reading people. "Tell us what's wrong, Riku," she said both quietly and firmly. He needed to talk to them.

Riku looked down at Serah, the glare still set in his eyes. "As if I'm gonna listen to some kid," he hissed, looking from her to the rest of them. He took another step back. "Get out." He wasn't doing this, now or ever. Riku fixed his eyes on the girl in the wheelchair, eyes hardening at the sight of her before he turned and left the room. He wasn't giving in to a stupid intervention.

Serah blinked at the way that Riku looked at Lightning. The look of anger and sadness intensified in that moment. The girl only spared a glance at Lightning before she hurried out of the room after Riku, walking beside him in the hall. He wasn't going to get away from her that easily. 

"Go away, Serah," Riku snapped, not looking at her. He couldn't; she looked too much like Lightning. Besides, she didn't need to waste her time with him. She needed to be with her sister. Lightning needed family, especially after all that Riku caused.

Serah didn't go away, and she didn't offer a smart retort like Lightning would have as she walked beside the young man. Serah had patience for people who lashed out in anger; Lightning used to be very angry and Serah would wait her out. Now she would wait out Riku too. If she had enough patience for Lightning, she had enough for Riku. 

Riku stopped walking and reached over, grabbing Serah's arm. He then used his Dark abilities and teleported to be next to Lightning. Once there, he released Serah. "It's not gonna be that easy," he snapped lowly, starting toward the door. Once he was close again, he turned to look at everyone. "You're wasting your time. I don't need your help...and I don't want it."

"No, you're clearly getting by on your own just fine," Lightning said sarcastically. She set her hands on the wheels of her chair, ready to follow Riku. She should have gone after him the first time; Serah's methods would have been too gentle. She would have tried to wait him out but Riku didn't need that. He needed a strong wake-up call.

Riku's eyes fell on Lightning, and seeing her in the wheelchair disgusted him. Not because of her, but because of himself. He put her in that chair. He set her up to be tortured. He let her go, something he swore he would never do. But he was getting good at not keeping his promises. "Don't talk to me about getting by," he hissed. "You can't even tell yourself you can walk." She could, and she knew she could, but she decided to let the pain overcome her. If there was any pain. Riku knew it was psychological; she told him as much. Lightning needed to stop giving herself a crutch.

 

"Riku," Locke scolded again, voice low with his son. Growing up, Riku knew to never ignore that tone, and even now, his son met his gaze. "Stop it. What's the matter with you?" They didn't raise him to be this way.

"I guess I'm not the only one lying to myself then," Lightning said lowly. She rolled herself towards Riku, keeping her eyes focused on him as she did so. "There's nothing keeping me in this chair but I still can't walk. Fine, I can deal with that. But for some reason, you're lying and telling yourself that you need to sink into the Darkness." She didn't know that reason, and she hoped that if she antagonized Riku long enough, he'd spill.

Locke looked to his wife and Sora. Riku's childhood friend neglected to mention that sinking was what was happening. "Darkness is involved?" he asked, then looking to his son for confirmation. Riku only pinched the bridge of his nose, a gesture that represented annoyance.

 

Riku fought the urge to curse at Lightning for mentioning such a thing in front of his parents. Now he was never going to get out of this room. ...Unless he teleported and left the world altogether. That would be a cheap shot, of course, but if that was his only choice, Riku would take it.

Lightning stopped in front of Riku. "You're lying to yourself, Riku," she said both firmly and gently. "There's no reason you should fall back into Darkness." She paused, briefly glancing down to her lap. She didn't like sharing this with so many people around, but it was what Riku needed to hear. "I told you, didn't I? I told you I wasn't going to let the Darkness take me because of this. I only was able to say that because of you." He helped her make that choice. 

Riku lowered his hand and looked at Lightning, not believing her. She was just telling him these things to make him feel better about himself. He wished she would quit lying, even to herself. Riku wasn't good. He tried, and succeeded, but the Darkness always came back. He could never get away from it, even after all he learned.

"There's something else I told you," Lightning said, locking eyes with Riku as he stood taller than her. "I told you that I would start trusting you again if you started trusting me. Trust what I'm saying. You saved me." He saved her in so many ways--so many different types of Darkness. Even before her father returned, he saved her from the Darkness. 

Riku shook his head, directing his eyes elsewhere. He couldn't look at her, not like this. Not the way she was and not the way he was. "What's the point?" he grumbled. "I'm only a disappointment. My parents can vouch for that." He looked pointedly at his mother and father, the latter of whom blinking in shock. He disappointed them with his Darkness; they proved as much when they said they didn't want him falling into it again. "I don't need fixing. I'll handle this on my own." Sora, Lightning and Serah, and his parents... They could just forget the intervention. It wasn't going to work.