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[darkearth]

action | amulet

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[lightblooming]

[ Terra'll hear a knock on his door, followed by Aqua's voice. ]

Terra? Would it be alright if I came in?

[darkearth]

[There's a moment or two of shuffling, and then,] Hold on. [Which may be weird, but it's on a few seconds before he's opening the door, and he doesn't seem weird, and he's dressed, and he doesn't look as if he had been asleep.]

Aqua. [He smiles faintly. He's not sure if she only came to tell him something, but he steps back and holds the door open as invitation anyway.] Did you need something?

christmas day

[lightblooming]

[ Terra will wake up to a neatly wrapped box from Aqua.

Inside should be a hand-made, yellow-colored scarf and a small note.

Merry Christmas. I hope the three of us can celebrate more for years to come. ]

12-25

[innermonologues]

[ Hopefully Terra didn't think he was going to get out of getting a gift. He'll find a gift for him from Squall. It was a small box that didn't look all that fancy, but inside was a pendant. The pendant looked similar to these creatures, holding up a big rock. ]

Before I gave it to Sora, I used to have this pendant of a Lion named Griever. It was a source of safety and strength for me, as if it gave me courage. You sound like you could use a bit of courage yourself, Terra.

I thought you might be a little more earthy though, so they can be your strength instead. They're Brothers.

-Squall

christmas morning

[shadowedheart]

[ Getting to finally give something to Terra, Riku's gift to him is the following:

• a fluffy brown scarf
• a pair fluffy brown mittens
• a fluffy brown beanie
• a package of salted caramel hot chocolate along with a mug that has CAN YOU EVEN LIFT? scribbled across it in black cursive

Inside, there's the following little card:
Thought you could use these since it gets cold around here. Not sure if you like sweet thing so salted caramel seemed like a safe bet. Merry Christmas.

- Riku ]

Christmas Day after delivery

[boundbynaught]

[ Arden drops off a segmented package - it has 4 slots inside of the box. In one slot are leather cords, a woven band, some basic rounders, and a few flats too.

In the second slot is styling mousse.

3rd slot has some brownie and blondie bites in them. (In a plastic bag.)

4th slot has his note: ]

Terra,

I was putting together a belated gift for Aqua and I figured I should do something for you too. I hope this works out, cuz I know we don't know each other that well. I'm still trying to get better at spontaneous things like this.

Merry (Late) Christmas,

- Arden

action; before selenium

[shadowedheart]

[ Another day, another workout. Gotta keep at it if you wanna stay swol.

Riku stretches with a yawn that he comes to hide behind the back of his hand as he sits outside a little ways from where Terra lives, waiting for the other keyblade wielder to make his way outside for the morning. It's early, the sun just barely over the trees and Riku is bundled up because of the early morning chill. Beside him is his usual bag of clothes and things and then, on his lap, is a paper bag that has a few steamed buns inside with egg and vegetables and things inside; a morning bun of sorts for breakfast.

With legs stretching out and a puff of smoke leaving his lips, he tilts his head back some and looks up to the early morning sky, eyes of aquamarine slowly blinking as a few birds fly by overhead. Strange how he's nearly been here a year now and how so much has... changed. ]

[darkearth]

[Riku is one of the most pure boys next to, like, Sora and Ven. This is probably why Riku is now a Master.

In a bit, Terra comes out, bundled against the cold morning with the bottom half of his face tucked protectively in the folds of a scarf. He's hurrying to try to make time, up until he runs into Riku near the house. He pauses, watching Riku watch the sky for a second or two.

Then he smiles some, and though it's concealed by the dumb scarf, it reaches his eyes. There's a lot of affection there for Riku now the two of them have gotten to know each other better.] Hey. [He shifts the strap of his bag and approaches close enough to be heard.]

Wait long?

backdated to selenium

[lightblooming]

[ When she contacts Terra, there's a hint of panic in her voice. ]

Terra? It's Ven. He's run off on his own. He shouldn't be alone right now.

[darkearth]

[Well, that's a lot to unpack.]

Aqua...?

What happened? Is Ven okay? Where are you?

dreams and things

[shadowedheart]

[ The amulet that rests around Riku's neck decides to gently glow on this particular night as he sleeps. It glows the colour of Thras, the Arehtei that he's aligned to, softly and warmly and in a way which, for the most part, seems rather harmless as it's not burning his skin this time. But it's within that soft glow that, somehow, the dreams that his mind weaves for him while he sleeps, reach out to another through the amulets... another who had been on his mind prior to having fallen asleep just some time ago.

It's raining.

The sky is dark, clouds a stormy gray.

Lightning streaks across the sky and a crack of thunder soon follows.

Everyone and everything is soaked in the pouring rain, the streets a shiny colour with the lights from the tall buildings reflecting in the shiny pavement. It's cold, it's damp, and another crack of thunder echoes around the tall buildings so high in the sky.

There's the skittering sound of someone- no, something around but it's difficult to see in the pouring rain. It skitters again, coming closer behind the buildings and it's when another crack of thunder booms, the Heartless jumps from it's hiding spot--

--and is struck down and destroyed with a howl before it disappears.

It's the tip of a Keyblade that is first seen once the Heartless has disappeared... a familiar Keyblade, one with purples and a deep red... Way to the Dawn. But the one who holds it is dressed in black, the Organization's cloak, with long silver hair that sticks to his face and a blindfold that wraps around his eyes. It's only after Way to the Dawn is drawn back that the wielder of the Keyblade stares somewhat confused in the pouring rain. ]

What are you doing here?

[darkearth]

[Going to sleep, Terra hadn't expected to open his eyes to a strange place he's never seen. It's... gloomy, to say the least. After a moment or two of being confused, he starts walking forward, trying to decide his plan--

He hears it. Unversed! But when the Heartless comes into view, he realizes he hasn't seen an Unversed like that before, and before he can react, someone else cuts it down.

Oh--

He follows the length of the keyblade up. The jacket, the blindfold--unfamiliar. The hair, on the other hand... he knows that hair, he thinks. Longer than he's seen, and the voice. A little younger, just as recognizable.]

I woke up here. [Or, like, opened his eyes really.] ...Riku?

4/7

[nofarplaneyet]

[There's a familiar raspy voice knocking on Terra's thoughts.]

Hey. Can I talk to you for a second?

[darkearth]

[The gristle of Auron's voice startles Terra. Not in a bad way, but, for a moment, he's worried. And he wonders if something happened.

Maybe it's how Riku felt when he reached through the crystal out of the blue.]

Sure. Is everything okay?

nsfw, big rip

[lightblooming]

[ It still feels surreal, as if the day that they had spent together was a dream. She'd spent the remainder of the festival in a quiet sort of bliss - the area around her reflecting exactly how she felt, whether it be through the flowers, or the gentle breeze. That doesn't seem to stop when they finally head back for the day, small sparks of light flashing above her.

She had decided to join Terra in watching the fireworks, just enjoying how peaceful things seemed to be in Verens. She's sure that the natives must be happy with the result of the festival. She can't help but admire all of their hard work, and the fact that it had been a success.

But, of course it wasn't just that that she had found contentment in. She was glad that she was able to enjoy the festival with Terra this time. While she had been able to attend it last year with Ven, things always felt more like home with Terra there with them. Whether or not they would be able to see the festival again next year or not was anyone's guess (they couldn't control such things, after all) - but, she knows that whether it be here or at home, she'll be happy to be at his side.

When they make their way back, she's walking hand-in-hand with Terra. Though, there's hesitance when they reach his room, looking to him quietly before speaking. ]

I'll go with you. [ Most nights, sleep doesn't come to her all that easily. She's been spending some evenings by herself for that reason, but... right now, she'd like to stay with him. ]

covers the kids' eyes

[darkearth]

[With no hesitation, he says,] Okay. [For now, there's no reason for him to think it's weird--not that he'd think it's weird later necessarily. Plenty of times, he and Aqua have slept together. Sometimes, all three of them would sleep together; other times, it would be Ven and Aqua, or him and Ven.

So, with her hand still in his, he follows her in, shutting the door behind them.] If you ever want to leave, you can. [He won't hold her here if she is uncomfortable, or if she decides to change her mind.

Sliding his arm a bit behind his waist, he draws her close to his front. His smile is faint, as usual, but as reassuring as he means for it to be. Chaste, he kisses her forehead not unlike he had back at the flower festival.] Are you tired? [They had quite a long day, not including wandering around like they had been in some kind of dream.]

We can sleep if you want.

[lightblooming]

[ Terra may or may not be on his way out when Aqua calls for him. ]

Terra, do you have a moment? [ After talking to Usagi, she knows that they have some things that they should discuss. ... And, there's something she wants to ask him, too. ]

[darkearth]

[If there's one thing (aside from the handful of others) which can get him to stop in his tracks, it's definitely Aqua's voice. He pauses, turning immediately toward her.]

Of course.

[He wants to ask, "Are you okay?" but feels as if he does that too much lately.]

after aqua things

[shadowedheart]

[ When things have more or less settled a bit after everything with Aqua, Riku comes to reach out to Terra over the amulets first. The nudge given is gentle and it's only just his voice he allows to filter through. He wants to see Terra in person but... maybe it's better to see how he currently is what with everything that's happened. ]

Hoping this isn't too bad of a time to say hi.

[darkearth]

[The nudge startles him, but the feeling behind it... Familiar, not a danger. The hard wall that goes up crumbles slowly into something like warm, soft soil.

He lets Riku in, chest washing with relief.]

Riku... Hey.

How are you?

Voice;

[innermonologues]

Sorry I didn't check up on your sooner... are you doing okay?

voice

[darkearth]

Squall.

[They've both had a time, huh!]

I'm okay. You don't have to worry.

backdated to 8/7..... nsfw

[lightblooming]

[ Aqua can't help but feel a little relieved when everything is said and done. She isn't used to being the center of attention like that - muchless being a part of an event as big as that one. Still, she's happy too. It had been perfect, and it would be an understatement to say that it had been nice to see her friends so happy. In the end, it hadn't just been a day for her and Terra after all. Not when it had been the cause of good things happening for them, too.

It feels much more quiet now that it's just her and Terra, but it's a comfortable silence. She doesn't think that she had let his hand go since they had left the beach. Being able to call him her husband now is a strange feeling. After everything that happened, it feels like training together was lifetimes ago, but at the same time... it really feels like that wasn't so long ago.

She looks to him, smiling softly as she reaches to open the door to where they'd be staying for the night. ]

... The wedding - it was beautiful.

[darkearth]

It was.

[Likewise, Terra didn't have any plans to let Aqua's hand go. When she opens the door, he reaches up to hold it open, using the hand in hers to guide her inside first, and he follows after.]

Everyone made it the best day imaginable. We'll have to thank them. And Usagi, too. You and her worked really hard on putting it together.

[He doesn't let her get very far in before he pulls on his hand to turn her around and bring her back to him. He loops his arms around and buries his face into her hair.]

Thank you.

Box of Cookies delivered [Late Sept, during Crystal hiatus]

[boundbynaught]

A brief but sincere note tops the box:

From Arden & Naminé,
We were thinking of you, so please enjoy these cookies, since you're one of our friends.

Inside is two of each variety of cookie, some more pristinely decorated than others, but all sugar cookies with roughly the same flavor of frosting on all of them, differentiated only by shape and decoration:
- Tropical Beach themed
- As-Seen-From-Above Flowers or From-The-Side Flowers
- Hearts with a Floral Motif or More Abstract Patterned Hearts
- Brightly Colored Cupcake or Classier Colored Circles
- Simple Sprinkles

... Except in Terra's case, Arden makes sure the box is actually a plastic container that will keep the cookies better for at least a week or two, hoping that'll cover it until he wakes up again. Aqua's portion sits next to his at the front door.