ic contact.

[shadowedheart]

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[shadowedheart]

Yeah, I bet.

[ There's been a significant lack of Vanitas all around from what Riku's gathered which, with everything that's happened concerning him, he can't say he minds.

Of course, when that silence falls over them, Riku can't help but feel as though it's seconds away from becoming any more awkward than it already is and so, he decides to ask. ]

What did you want to talk about?

[brokenlight]

About what happened at the festival.

[Ventus gets to his feet this time, turning to look at Riku.]

[shadowedheart]

I figured.

[ Since... why else would Ventus call him out here during the night like this? ]

[brokenlight]

Listen, before you take anything the wrong way, I do like you, Riku. It was just...too much of a surprise.

[A pause.] And I figure that you need to know something else, too.

[shadowedheart]

[ Well, that's... a good sign? Right? Until the whole needing to know something else part is added and Riku glances over to the blond with a slow blink of his eyes behind that blindfold. ]

What's that?

[brokenlight]

Vanitas and I are connected. Since we're two halves of one heart, Vanitas can uh...feel my emotions.

[shadowedheart]

[ ...

Ok, that's... not what Riku was expecting to hear? ]

What do you mean by feel your emotions?

[brokenlight]

...Exactly what I said. He contacted me after you kissed me and told me to cut it out.

[Ventus...looks fairly embarrassed.]

[shadowedheart]

[ Despite not being able to see behind the blindfold, Riku can't help but widen his eyes in surprise some before he comes to look away from Ventus. That's... concerning? Surprising? Strange?

Riku swallows thickly for a moment as he stands there, trying to process this information before he allows himself to look back to the blond. ]

Can you... feel his emotions then?

[brokenlight]

Sort of?

[He furrows his eyebrows.] I wasn't able to before, but once in a while I'll end up feeling something from him.

[Sort of. It's hard when his heart is connected to Sora's, too.]

[shadowedheart]

So what does that... mean for you?

[ What is Ven trying to tell him with letting him know this? ]

[brokenlight]

I'm...willing to explore more of this with you if you don't mind---that.

[His connection with Vanitas, he means.

Ventus looks abashed, almost embarrassed. He does like Riku. He wants to get to know him better, but that feeling isn't love. Not yet.

But he does look at Riku, head tilted to the side.]

And if my initial reaction hasn't scared you off.

[shadowedheart]

[ To think that Ventus shares a sort of connection like that with Vanitas... on one hand, he should perhaps stay away from the blond, shouldn't he? Not wanting to make things any more difficult for him than they already are and yet... is that fair to Ventus? To deprive him of things he may very well be curious about? Want to explore? Want for himself? To deprive himself of that, all because of fear or shame because of someone he holds a connection with... that somehow doesn't seem right, let alone fair.

So, with a sigh, Riku steps a little closer to Ventus and looks down to him. ]

Not that I'm going to right now but... would that mean kissing you is off the table?

[brokenlight]

[A blink before he laughs softly, mostly out of surprise.] No, it isn't. Vanitas is just going to have to deal with experiencing that from me if you end up kissing me again.

[shadowedheart]

[ While not entirely sure what he was expecting to hear, when Ventus does give him the go ahead for that in the future? It has... Riku smile a little, perhaps even a little shyly as he bows his head some. ]

Good to know then.

[brokenlight]

[That has Ven smiling at him. And then he looks...vaguely amused by something.]

I may have told Elios about this, by the way.

[shadowedheart]

[ Cue record scratch. ]

...you what?

[brokenlight]

I told Elios.

[shadowedheart]

...and you told him because?

[brokenlight]

Advice. [Ventus looks thoughtful.] I figured who'd better to ask than the arehtei of love and hate.

[shadowedheart]

[ Well... that's probably true. Still, it has Riku feel... awkward? Maybe? Just a little? But, if Ventus needed advice which brought him to this decision then... ]

I guess that's fair enough.

[ As he comes to cross his arms in front of his chest. ]

Guessing it helped?

[brokenlight]

It did.

[Even if...that was quite a talk.]

[shadowedheart]

[ Riku just nods after Ventus confirms that it did help, to which, of course, a moment later, he glances away while trying to hide what feels like a smile wanting to tug at his lips. ]

So... what? You want me to ask you out on a date or something?

[brokenlight]

Only if you wanna.

[Still, he grins at him.]

[shadowedheart]

Tch. Who would have thought you liked playing hard to get.

[ He... might be teasing. Maybe. Just a little. ]