IC CONTACT.

[limitstorm]

Hey. This is Riku. Uh... leave a message, and I'll get back to you.

Comments

[ex_symbioses706]

riku?

[limitstorm]

Ranka? What's up?

[salvagedsoul]

[On the evening of February 13, a white envelope is slipped beneath the front door of Riku's apartment unit. On the front is cursively written To Riku in black ink. Inside is a small piece of off-white card paper, and a thin bar of mint chocolate wrapped in foil.

The card has the following handwritten, unsigned message:]

Dear Riku,
Since I've arrived here, you've caught my eye around the Hold.
Please accept this gift as an expression from me, an admirer, of my affection for you.
Happy Valentine's Day

[limitstorm]

[ cursive makes him cautious--but he opens the letter amidst curiosity.

... and as soon as he reads it, he's of the suspicion that there has to be another Riku in the Hold. this couldn't be for him. he leaves it on the counter to bring down to the lobby later, even if that chocolate is tempting. ]

[ Backdated a few days, if that's alright! ]

[muskets]

This is Tomoe Mami, from the courtyard earlier this month.

I wanted to thank you for the welcome when I first arrived. I have gotten much more settled in now, and that was partly thanks to the friendliness that everyone showed me, right from the start. Thank you again, and I look forward to working alongside you here.

[ Yep, sure! ]

[limitstorm]

You know, you don't need to thank me. You're welcome. Sounds like you're doing a lot better here now, too. I'm glad you got on your feet quick. It usually takes a few months for other people.

(backdated to before his recent network post, after the kidnapping) text

[replicates]

hey
your bat keeps following me and wont leave me alone
she keeps screeching at me
come pick her up

2 hours later

[replicates]

look im seriously going to cook her if you dont come and get her
where are you?

30 mins later

[replicates]

answer your stupid tablet

5 mins later

[replicates]

are you really ignoring me

text sup big bro

[replicates]

[ trying to find a present for riku really shouldn't be this hard. but then again, does he want to get him a present? the impulse answer is no, but then if he thinks about it riku has been nothing but helpful since he got to exsilium and you know, maybe he just ought to do something... nice for a change.

just to make them even. ]

your birthday's coming up
right?

text sup shortie

[limitstorm]

[ ... this, he didn't expect ]

Yeah, on Halloween.

text;

[otherness]

[Roxas is making bad choices at one in the morning. This isn't new, but the fact that he's got Axel back and ... Sora... well, he should probably deal with Riku. Especially if he's going to be hanging out with Sora.

Making a phone call with other people asleep is right out so he texts instead.]

Riku?

text;

[limitstorm]

[ this comes a few hours later, at five.

roxas... he's not sure about this. ]

Yeah?

text; sometime late at night

[replicates]

what you said about him
being a better person and everything
i believe you

text

[replicates]

still don't really trust him
but i guess he's ok

[text]

[promises_to_keep]

Knock Knock

[text]

[limitstorm]

[ ........

what's he supposed to do with that? uhh. ]

Who's there?

text, backdated to the 6th, in the morning;

[buttpunch]

Hello, Riku!

I realized it's been a little while since I've seen you. Since so many people are moving off of the moon, I thought I should say 'hello, do you have a little time to meet' while there's a chance you're still here!

I'm going to be staying on the base, just for a little while--I want to make sure the plants will survive without my magic. But I missed your birthday, and I had something I wanted to give you.

[limitstorm]

I have time, but... I can't meet you.
I'm kind of sick. And I think I'd get strapped down if I tried to leave.
You don't have to give me anything, Tsubomi.

text

[replicates]

[ sometime during this conversation ]

so i'm gonna cover your guard shifts while you're sick
but your boss wants you to vouch for me

text

[limitstorm]

[ goddamnit.

what's he supposed to say here? ]

Why're you offering?
I'm not mad. I just didn't know you'd do something like that.

12/15; Text

[wilder]

Hey Riku, it's Kaneis from the clinic.

I'm just contacting you to check up on you. I haven't heard from you in awhile and I don't know if your base or planetside, so if you could lemme know that'd be great.

Also I got the result of your bloodwork. I can let you know when we talk.

Thanks.

[limitstorm]

Sorry. I was pretty sick for a while.

[ which is why he didn't see you, kaneis. yep. even though you work at the clinic. ]

And I started a new job.
When and where should we talk?

Action; 12/17

[heartstorage]

[Virgil was gone.]

[That's what he had heard from the others. That Virgil had been sent back home. Was that Castle Oblivion? Somewhere else? Sora didn't know. But...from how the others have been acting, he couldn't imagine it was anywhere good.]

[Maybe that's why he didn't try to ask this time.]

[It was much later that night. Even though he had been sleeping better since moving in with everyone, tonight he couldn't sleep. Instead he laid in bed, trying hard to remember anything about Virgil or Castle Oblivion- anything at all. But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how frustrated he got- nothing would come.]

[It's not until he hears a sound from another part of the house does he slip out his room to investigate the source.]

Riku...?

[limitstorm]

[ riku's head jerks up as he hears sora's voice, the dark fire channeling in his hand suddenly bouncing off of his fingers and all around the fireplace--until it finally sets aflame on what firewood he's yanked out from outside. he looks to the door first before he looks to the stairs and he exhales, shoulders slowly slumping. ah.

he glances down at his hands and shakes his head. ]

Yeah? I wake you?

[ he sounds apologetic, even if his spine is stiff. ]

Not here - Christmas Day

[wilder]

[Riku's gift is left in his mailbox or at his door (whatever he has) for Christmas. The wrapping isn't fancy, but it has a nice bow on the top. There's a note slipped in under the bow]

"Where I'm from, people will carve charms that will bring you good luck. If you ever need new things to carve, I thought maybe you'd like to try some of them. Anything to keep that hobby up."

Merry Christmas,
Kaneis Major

[In the package is a set of brand new and good quality carving tools. Along with that, is a list of different types of charms and their meaning/use. He even gave sketches next to them that are pretty decent! As for the contents of the list, it contains:]

[- Wish tags made of wood. You write your wishes on the tag and carry it around until it comes true. Once it does, you break the tag in half and throw it in a river
- A bear with a salmon in it's mouth. Hanging it in the doorway of your house will bring you wealth.
- A good luck Iron Maiden. According to legend and superstition if you put the hair of your love one in it, 765 days later you will find happiness together. However if anyone opens it before it grants it's wish a terrible curse will fall upon them. One with diarrhea and demon kings shoving fingers up your nose. Don't do it man.
- a Marry-Me Wand. It's a wand that will help you get married.
- Soul-mate Shackles. There is no other explanation given.]

[And the list goes on like that, ranging from strange but cute to downright disturbing. Needless to say - no one will blame Riku if he seriously starts questioning Kaneis's homeland.]

reaction+text;

[limitstorm]

[ that is worrying.

no, seriously, that's mega worrying. an iron maiden? riku's definitely not sure what they get into back in kaneis's world, but that is definitely...

... well, he can't judge, can he? ]

Thanks for the present.
I think I'll try a bear before I try an iron maiden.

CHRISTMAS DAY

[fujibayashi]

[Tagged 'To Riku, from Sheena', she's left him a fairly large, flat-ish box wrapped with a deep shimmery blue paper and a white ribbon.

Inside is a silk yukata of deep sea blue and black with slight but beautiful gold dragon print.

There is also a note.]

"This is the closest thing to traditional Mizuho garb I could find. Both boys and girls wear this sort of thing during festivals. It's comfortable and it'll look great on you."

reaction+text;

[limitstorm]

[ oh wow.

first of all, riku surely hadn't expected gifts from anyone--the fact that they were around was good enough. second of all, he certainly hadn't expected a gift so... polished and refined. it's really cool, he wants to put it on (uh, how do you put it on...?) but he has to wonder if he's supposed to act differently, like when he puts on a suit. then again, she said that they wear it to festivals...?

either way. ]

Thanks for the gift. That was definitely not something I was expecting.
In a good way.

CHRISTMAS DAY 2 ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

[otherness]

[Whoever wrapped this obviously sucks. They just rolled everything into a ball and taped some newspaper together. And then they wrote "RIKU, FROM ROXAS" on it...

Ah, well.

There's a soft fleece scarf in black and blue stripes. It's curled around a leather wallet with a chain.]

reaction+text;

[limitstorm]

[ remind him to teach roxas to wrap gifts next year, oi. or maybe sooner. someone's birthday must be coming up... ]

Thanks, Roxas. I could use some more warm clothes.
Merry Christmas.

Christmas Day

[heartstorage]

[It's wrapped in a bit of a sloppy fashion, like the wrapping paper is crinkled and the tape is overdone. But at least you can tell it's a present!]

[Inside there seems to be some sort of handmade charm on a keychain. Okay, so it's sloppier than what that picture shows but shhhh he took an effing long time on it]

[There's a note attached:]

Merry Christmas Riku!

I wanted to get you something to show you're a Master now, but I dunno what a Mark of Mastery actually looks like. So I took my best shot in making something that looks "Master-y". I hope it works.

Oh, and it's a suncatcher too! That means if you leave it in the sun sometimes, it captures some of the light - so you'll always have some with you.

I know you'll do great.
Sora

reaction+text;

[limitstorm]

[ the bauble needs explanation; he has to read the note to actually understand what it is, and his heart warms over.

... god, he has the dumbest best friend ever.

(he loves him a lot.) ]

Thanks for the charm, Sora.
Merry Christmas.

new year's eve: action

[promises_to_keep]

[Lea's fairly sure there will be several parties going on tonight. He's also fairly sure he's not particularly interested in being in attendance. Getting his heart back has certainly helped him in being less antisocial, but he still doesn't like being in large crowds where he doesn't know the majority of the people around him; it feels too exposed. He's been spending the evening on the couch, reading and jotting notes down in a journal he keeps in his pocket.

[About half past eleven, he's finished the book Riku gave him for Christmas and gets up off the couch, stretching stiff arms over his head. Well, now what? The house is quiet--maybe Sora and Roxas are out at one of those parties. Sora at least is social like that. Maybe he'll just go upstairs and grab a nap.

[He pushes the bedroom door open and is greeted by Dusk, who is loafed on the bed. He sits down beside her and then notices the bathroom light is on, the door ajar, and--]

Oh! [He snaps a hand up and turns his head away when he catches a glimpse of Riku's bare torso in the bathroom mirror. Wow, dude, put a note on the door or something. He stares at the bedspread and gives a helpless laugh.] Sorry! Thought you were out or something; have you been up here the whole time?

[limitstorm]

... uh, yeah.

[ a period of silence, and then; ] I only have my shirt off, you know. It's not like I'm indecent. [ put your hand down, sheesh. ]

I've been trying to get what Sheena gave me for Christmas on, but-- [ he makes a frustrated sound, looking down at the yukata and narrowing his eyes at the gilded fabric. it was beautiful--it was... honestly, it reminded him of the refined taste of home, but... damn if he didn't know how to secure it or even put it on correctly. he'd wanted to try to put it on without her help just to possibly show up and impress her, but.

well, that was a dumb idea. he scrutinizes the fabric again before looking over at lea, glasses on the bridge of his nose. ]

What're you doing, anyhow?

a few days after christmas (a chain, sorry)

[invocation]

thanks for the gift
didnt get u anything
sorry
ill figure out somethin

what do u even like
hair gel?

[invocation]

no thats a dumb gift
nvm
hey

i got a question

[text]

[promises_to_keep]

[About three minutes after he slams the door Lea's brain catches up to him and he feels like an asshole. He just did exactly what he made Riku swear never to do: he walked away. Granted the argument hadn't really been between him and Riku, but Lea likes to think he knows Riku pretty well. And right now Riku's probably wondering if he's even allowed to speak to him. So with a sigh he pauses in his stalking down the snowcovered road and pulls out his tablet.]

Not mad. Not at you. Just needed to clear my head. Sorry I bailed. I'll be back before tonight.

Cross my heart.

[a few minutes later]

[promises_to_keep]

PS Roxas is with me so don't worry too much. Just take care of Sora. We'll talk later.