Day 58: Sun Room (Second Shift)

[poorexample]

[From here.]The room was mainly empty when Michael reached it, which was fine by him. It wasn't that he didn't feel sympathy for the other patients, but he also didn't know if it would be helpful for him to talk to them. The staff seemed to think that forming bonds amongst themselves would lead to recovery, but to him it felt more like they would

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[antiheroed]

It wasn't that he wanted to stall before finding Kairi, because he saw her the moment he walked into the Sun Room. Some might say that he had a radar for his friends. If they were in a room, he could find them-except the night prior proved otherwise. But Riku would blame that on just having woke up. She looked tired from a distance, and he just assumed it confirmed the fact that she hadn't gotten breakfast. If she had missed him and Sora, it might've been unusual, but he knew after a point he had been too caught up in talking to keep looking around.

All the same, he didn't take a straight line to her, because he had a note to put up. The answers to that would change their plans at night, if not tonight, so he needed to know the answer.

With that handled, though, he turned and headed straight toward Kairi. In the daylight hours, it wasn't possible for that same, familiar stench of Darkness to waft off of her, but he half-expected it now. It wasn't a good expectation, either. But she just looked sleepy, so he dropped down into a chair beside her and considered reaching over to nudge her to see if it would help her wake up faster. He didn't do it in the end, but the impulse was there. Affection was easier to show around her, but not that much easier.

"I'm gonna think you're lazier than Sora if you keep that up," he teased. The statement was mocking, but it lacked the same edge it might have had if he said the same thing to their mutual friend in question.

[kingdomless]

If Kairi hadn't known any better, she would have thought she had fallen asleep and was dreaming at the sound of Riku's voice. "No one will ever be as lazy as Sora," she said simply, not exactly realizing that she was speaking to the real thing, instead of a dream. That was -

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she turned her head to see the face of the friend she thought they had lost those few nights ago. Instantly, a warm smile spread across Kairi's face, and she reached out to give one of his hands a gentle squeeze, just as she had done back when they were in The World That Never Was, and he had tried to run away. If they had been standing, she would have given him a hug. "You're back," she said in a soft, albeit incredibly happy voice, letting go of his hand. She almost didn't believe it was him; a part of her couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was a trick that the institute had sent out; after all, hadn't she seen more than enough illusions? Still, something told the princess that Riku was real. However -

"Do you ... remember being here, before?" she asked him with a slight tilt of her head, curious. She had seen Riku a few times before, and every time was like the last; unknowing as to where he was. Would he remember this time around, just as she had? And if so, did that mean he had been in the Medical Ward, just as she had been? She was curious to know - mostly because she ... honestly, didn't want to explain the reason as to why she was covered in the scent of darkness again. Every time she explained, his reaction seemed to get worse and worse, and she didn't want to repeat it.

[antiheroed]

Her question wasn't met with surprise, but instead, a comforting smile. Riku already knew it was coming, and given his experience with memory games back home, he figured he could handle them around this place. He knew about the problems relating to that, and he figured his friends were relieved he was here. But it was good he remembered stuff. Riku didn't like the idea of his memories being messed with all the way back in Castle Oblivion. There was a choice there granted to him by Naminé; it was a choice that he could have taken, but he knew today that Sora wouldn't be the way he was now, and he had no idea if Kairi would even be safe. Losing his memories wasn't his idea of a useful time.

So the fact that he lost days here was problematic, but he was glad to know he had everything before that. Riku paused to wonder why he hadn't been one of the "lucky" many to lose their memories. Was it because he was too stubborn to let it happen? There wasn't a way to know for sure, and his survey of the medical wing didn't tell him anything like that. Memories often had to do with chains and magic. Science played some role in what Ansem the Wise accomplished, but even then, it was different. Hearts were involved.

Either way, this time, he just had that smile. "You think I'd let them take that? I was just getting good at this place." He brushed off the feeling of her hand over his, but he always recognized those things. It came with always being hyper-aware of her, no matter what. "They won't try that again."

It was a cocky promise in wording, but the way he delivered it was with the same intensity he delivered everything. Eyes were on her through the words, smile completely faded.

[kingdomless]

So, he remembered everything? Kairi couldn't help but blink in surprise at his words, relief washing through her. It was lucky, however, that he still retained his memories of the last time he had been in the institute, just like she had. Just like Naminé had. Axel, however ... hadn't been so lucky. Her heart hurt just thinking about the loss of her friend, and she turned her face away from Riku for a moment to try and allow the feeling to pass. It wasn't worth it, to dwell on the ones she had gained ... and lost.

"Those are pretty heavy words, you know," she teased, bringing the pillow close to her chest so she could hug it to herself for a moment. "Not that I don't think you aren't strong enough to hold them, of course."

Every time Riku left, things were different ... and every time he came back, they got better, only to fade again. Things had been harder last time; however, at least something good had come from that night. Kairi had highly enjoyed talking to Sora in his old room, after all. Sometimes it was nice to simply sit and relax.

Speaking of. "Have you already found Sora?" she asked him with a tilt of her head. It wouldn't surprise her, however, since Sora seemed to always know everything. She blamed the fact that he had been in the institute for so long. "And ... when did you wake up again? Not that I mean to pry, but," ... a grin crossed her lips, and she stuck her tongue out at the boy for a moment. "Well, I completely mean to pry. You can't blame me for being curious, after all."

[antiheroed]

In the back of his mind, Riku knew he had business to deal with. Plans had to be made that night, and he needed to know what Kairi had to say about them. But it could wait, because he didn't want to assault her with just that. The idea of telling her that they would have to abandon the medical wing seemed a lot easier when they weren't sitting next to one another. Still, he knew he would do it when it came down to it; they could just dawdle a little in getting there.

Her questions helped with it.

"Last night," he responded. "I woke up, got some stuff done. Apparently, I just missed you guys." Riku shrugged as if it was nothing, and for the first time, he realized the reality of what he said that night-that when they went after those spiders, they were protecting other people from them. Maybe they just held them off from getting out, and maybe, in the end, that kept his friends safe. But even he knew the chance of that was slim. In a way, their explorations might have led there. Odd how it ended up.

"And yeah, I found him. I filled him in on what I did. Mostly the medical wing." Like with Sora, he didn't volunteer the fact that he took the drugs, but he knew she'd catch on to it. "It wasn't too bad."

[kingdomless]

Last night. And he had just missed them. Kairi's eyes widened in surprise at that, but she could understand. Despite all things, the institute was a large, dark place, and even though they could have been in the same area, it was highly possible that could have ignored each other. Hadn't she missed Sora a few times, now that she thought about it? "Really? I see," she said in a soft voice, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "It happens."

However, she was glad that he had seen Sora. "Good," she replied with a smile. "I'm sure he was happy to see you, just as I am." Mostly she was glad that he not only remembered his memories, but also that he was still in one piece. Some of her friends weren't so lucky.

"What about the Medical Wing?" she asked, and, just as he figured, she instantly brought up those drugs. She might not have taken them (actually, Sora told her not to. She had figured nothing worse could have happened to her, but she didn't bring that point up.) but knowing Riku ... "What wasn't too bad? ... You took those drugs that were in the Medical Wing, didn't you! I should have known you would," she said with a smirk, followed by a roll of her eyes. "Sora wouldn't let me. ... Not that I should be telling you, since I'm sure you wouldn't approve either, but still."

Kairi loved Sora and Riku. Really, she did. With her whole heart. But sometimes they were ridiculous with how overly worried they became with her. She couldn't help but think it was silly.

[antiheroed]

"Better you than me," he said, predictably. Riku didn't like the idea of either of them undertaking it. Sora had been through enough, even if it was just a long nap, and the last thing he needed was his friend suddenly coming across some other problems because of the (now) convoluted nature of his existence. It was bad enough that Kairi was the way she was. "I handled it okay, though. They really turned out to be nothing." His tone was more reassuring and less cocky than it had been with Sora. He knew his friend hadn't believed him, but with Kairi, he did want her to feel better about it. Different care was taken in general with her. There wasn't a problem with dropping the act.

His body shifted in place and he relaxed back. There was less to prove around her, he found. Yes, she had figured out what he was hiding right away, but there was never a competition with Kairi. Her focus in his life was far simpler (even with the complications involved).

"But I didn't just do that. I looked around the place a little. There wasn't anything strange." He paused and lowered his head somewhat, because he knew the necessity behind hiding what he had to say. There was also the part where this next branch of knowledge made him feel guilty in front of her. "I've been around enough of that stuff. It didn't look anything like it."

[kingdomless]

Despite the fact that he said nothing had happened, Kairi looked at him with pursed lips, narrowing her eyes slightly, as if she was trying to find a crack in his mask of arrogance. She knew Riku wasn't one to admit he was in trouble, but she had gotten pretty good at picking them out. However, their time apart hindered her slightly. That didn't stop her from still inspecting, however. "Really? Really, really? Like cross Kairi's heart really?" she asked, just to see.

So, he had been able to look around a bit. "Were you alone?" she asked him softly, a frown crossing her lips. He knew how much she hated him being alone, even though he tended to prefer it. Didn't change anything, though. "You'd be upset if I was wandering around alone, so I am allowed to be worried about you, even if I know you can handle things."

Riku's final words, however, caused Kairi's expression to soften, a moment of sadness passing over her face before she spoke once again, her grasp on the pillow tightening. "I see."

Still, the enigma that was the Medical Wing intrigued her. That went without say, however.

But enough of that. "Do you have any plans for tonight? I don't want you going around alone again!" ... And while she thought about it. The last time Kairi had seen Riku had ... been when the shadow had stepped out of the wall and harassed him. She wanted to ask about that, but ... well. It was past, now. Long gone, and she didn't want to bring it up.

[antiheroed]

Some part of him-the part that was fairly contrary in nature, so one might say it was a rather large part of him-felt a little dismayed that his friends were so quick to jump to the fact that he went out alone. It wasn't as if he had any choice in the matter, but he knew that this would happen. Riku was proud of himself for practically scripting it in his mind the night before. Maybe Sora hadn't approved of his choice of a partner, but at least he was there. He shook his head and muffled that feeling that crept up inside. "No, I found someone. He worked out all right." Unlike Sora, he doubted Kairi would find any humor in Albedo shrieking at the sight of a monster. If anything, he figured she would find him to be a poor choice on Riku's part

"As for tonight, that's part of why I'm here." Apart from the obvious, he meant, but he figured she would catch on to that. "I wanted to spend it with you and Sora. He wants to go outside. Check something out. It could be the three of us. There's no point in going back to that wing." It wasn't asking her so much as strongly suggesting, but he wasn't good at requests. Still, he figured she would find and look for an opening.

"If those plans don't work, we have some other leads." cast a glance toward the bulletin board and wondered if he received any replies about the basement. He'd have to check after things were hammered out with Kairi, just so Sora could start his assignments for the evening.

[kingdomless]

"I'm glad," she told him in a soft voice. "It's hard to be alone sometimes." She, honestly, didn't like being without at least someone by her side. Call her selfish, but it was true. After being without them for those many months back on Destiny Islands, she found herself gravitating towards them now. Yes, she gave them their space, because she knew they needed it, but. Well. These things she would never tell the boys. She couldn't do that to them -

"You mean you didn't come here just because you missed me?" Kairi teased, though listening to the rest of his statement had the teenager blinked and smiling. The three of them together? They hadn't been together in quite some time, she felt, so she felt that that was a wonderful idea -

However, she still wanted to see the Medical Wing for herself, even if Riku said there was no point in going back. "Alright," she agreed, however. "But even if you say there's no point, I still want to look for myself, Riku. Even if that means going with someone else on a different night.

"But I don't mind going outside," she continued with a shrug. "Or anything else, for that matter." She liked to think she had a good grasp on the inside of the institute, at least - she had been all over it, after all. However, the outside world was a different story, as well as the basement. She still wanted to go down there, however. "Anywhere else you'd be interested in looking, though? I haven't really heard of much else, to be honest."

[antiheroed]

"There's the basement, but ..." He shook his head. Putting it out like that, Riku decided it couldn't be worth it. For something that had been mentioned to him before, he figured there was a reason no one was saying it was the way out. Maybe the people here thought for themselves-which was why most of his goals for the club sometimes still turned selfish, he knew it was what people did here-but he doubted something like that could be kept a secret. "It's not worth it."

Riku processed the rest and remembered the plans he and Sora made when they started the club. It might have been overly protective, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to stand Kairi going off with someone else unless he knew them personally. And then he had to trust them. His lips pressed together firmly as he tried to come up with a plan. He didn't want to waste Sora on seeing something that would be useless in the end, and he didn't want to, either. Maybe that was the problem, but Riku still struggled with trying to see the point.

Still, he had also seen a lot more of the area. If he went with her, he could keep her safe. That was something he did have an advantage at.

"And yeah, you can go there another night," he conceded, but it was obvious in his tone that he didn't see the point. "Either Sora or I will go with you." He figured she caught on already that they didn't let her do these types of things alone, but he wasn't going to draw attention to it.