Half-Light, Still Standing

Riku Park is a combat instructor and quiet guardian of Elias—haunted by the war he survived and the mistakes he made to get here. Steady, sharp, and shadow-marked, he teaches others to fight so they’ll never have to fall like he did. He doesn’t believe in heroes. He just refuses to let the darkness win.

[keyguarded]

⋆.˚𝕞𝕪 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕪 𝕓𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤,

𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓌𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝑔𝓊𝒾𝒹𝑒𝓈 𝓂𝑒... ִ ࣪𖤐

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Inspired by: zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender), aragorn (The Lord of the Rings), noctis lucis caelum (Final Fantasy XV), lan wangji (The Untamed), sebastian michaelis (Black Butler), james sunderland (Silent Hill 2)

full name: riku park  faceclaim: lee jong-suk dob: january 15  zodiac: capricorn occupation: guardian of elias / combat instructor birthplace: destiny islands orientation: homosexual song: “Atlas: Light” – sleeping at last film: the green knighteducation: formally trained in keyblade combat, survival, and interdimensional strategy. forged in conflict, refined in stillness. temperament: melancholic-phlegmatic blend — measured, introspective, and deeply loyal MBTI: ISTJ – “the quiet sentinel”alignment: lawful neutral abilities: dimensional awareness, protective warding, master-level swordsmanship, and high magical restraint hogwarts house: ravenclaw with slytherin edges emoji: 🗝️

present ‧✦

no longer just a warrior, riku is something quieter now..something still unfinished. he spends his time training others with the hope that they will never have to open the doors he did, never have to carry the weight of a world fractured by their own hands. he doesn’t speak much. doesn’t linger.. but his presence is steady, protecting in silence, always watching, always one step ahead of shadows that haven’t yet arrived. there is no glory in this new chapter. only healing. only the ache of trying. riku is learning how to live again; slowly, imperfectly. every day is a test of balance: between light and memory, between guilt and the flicker of something like hope. he still doesn’t know where he belongs. but he hasn’t given up.

past ‧✦

he was once the boy who opened the door and let the dark in.. twisted by fear, pride, and promises..he never should’ve believed. but the darkness had a way with him..it didn’t take him all at once. it seduced him with pretty lies. told him he could be stronger. that he could matter. that he could protect them. and in letting it in, he became the very weapon he swore to fight.a blade wielded by shadow. and when the smoke cleared, it was his hands that shook. it was his voice that didn’t rise.it was his fault.he hurt people. he betrayed the ones he loved, not out of hate..but out of the desperate need to prove he was enough...by the time he realized the lies, the damage was done.

future‧✦

he doesn’t dream of glory. but peace..the true kind. the kind that doesn’t tremble beneath his hands. just a still ocean, a quiet sky, a simple life untouched by battle cries. riku doesn’t know if he’ll ever fully forgive himself, but he’s learning to live beside those ghosts..the ones he created, and the one still lodged inside him. he doesn’t speak of it often, but he knows something is coming. a change in the air, the old weight again. the kind that settles in your chest before the sky breaks open. so he trains them..not just to fight, but to choose. to hesitate where he once rushed in. to stand together where he once stood alone. he’ll be ready this time ..and when the darkness comes again- because it always does- he’ll use the very shadow that once broke him to shield the ones who still have a future.

taken connections ‧✦

sora reyes – lifelong tether / love not yet spoken / the one who stayed even after the light dimmed — soulmate in silence kairi – found family / heartbeat of hope / keeper of the boy he used to be michael mouse – mentor turned comrade / bearer of burden / the one who believed in him- until he broke that belief for everyone else gavin goof – quiet anchor / council ally / proof that loyalty can exist without expectation donald duck – blunt strength / strategic partner / the kind of unwavering presence riku trusts when he can’t trust himself

wanted connections ‧✦

⋆ the almost-lost maybe someone riku saved once-..physically, magically, or emotionally..but barely. they carry the weight of survival, and the bond between them is deep... and quietly breaking. maybe they resent him for what it cost. maybe they worship him for it. ⋆the one who never forgave him an old friend, a former comrade, someone left behind in the chaos. they know what riku did before the light returned..and they haven’t let go. yheir presence is a reminder that redemption doesn’t erase damage. ⋆the child of the aftermatha young fighter or magic-blooded student, orphaned by the war and now under riku’s care or attention. maybe they remind him too much of himself- angry, powerful, alone..and he doesn’t know if training them is saving them… or making another weapon.

[sylviexue]

open starter / location : bakery

it was the end of the day and sylvie was about to lock up for the night. she liked working at the bakery because it reminded her of all the work that she did when she was in the castle. when her step mother forced her to work instead of getting to spend time learning how to rule. getting covered in flour, baking bread, being around an oven was so familiar and comforting to her. plus if she worked at the bakery she could take home any of the pastries at the end of the night. she occasionally was too tired to cook dinner when she got home, relying on whatever she could find. she wasn't going to go home just yet today, wanting to socialize in town for a bit or walk home slowly.

today there was plenty of left from today. she gathered a basket of the leftover pastries. it was far too much for everyone at the cottage to get through, even the eight of them. maybe someone outside would want something. sylvie locked the door to the bakery up and flagged down the nearest person. "excuse me. i hope you don't find this too odd, but i have a bunch of leftover pastries from today. would you like to try something? i'll never get through all of this basket."

[keyguarded]

it was never his plan to stop, he had a bag slung loosely over his shoulder, the weight of the long day still sitting on his tired shoulders. he was on autopilot, moving through the street as his attention shifted when she called out.. he slowed before coming to a stop a few steps away.

his gaze flicked to the basket first. then to her.”…not odd” he said after a moment, a faint exhale leaving him, as if  he’d been pulled out of a thought he hadn’t realized he was still in.“actually… kind of good timing.”his hand lifted, rubbing briefly at the back of his neck as if deciding how much to say, before settling again.

“someone asked me to bring something sweet back home,” he added, quieter now. “unfortunately.. he didn’t specify what.”there was the slightest shift in his expression then, something softer yet amused under the surface.

“so I was just going to guess.” he stepped a little closer, careful not to crowd her, eyes scanning the pastries with more intention this time.“guess this saves me from making a bad call?” his fingers hovered for a second before glancing back up at her. “you’re sure?” he asked

[1nquirer]

the inability to sleep was something agnes could relate to, but she wasn't about to admit it— not when she decided to be vulnerable just a few minutes ago. that was enough opening up to riku park for a day. she put up her walls once more, glancing towards the river too, as if it was the most interesting thing at the moment, fidgeting with the stray threads of her jacket to busy herself.

"hmm," was all agnes could manage in response. "carrying it alone?" she pondered over the statement. "do you think i'm carrying it alone?" she asked. because she did feel like that sometimes. "are you talking from experience?"

[keyguarded]

he went quiet at that. not the kind of silence he usually slipped into but something heavier. something that stayed around even on the lighter days.  thumb brushing against his palm like he was grounding himself in the motion. when he spoke, his voice was still steady. “yeah,” he admitted. “i am.”

a small faint controlled breath left him, shoulders lifting before settling back again..as if the weight there was not gone..just shifted..different.  “you know..it’s easier to keep moving,” he continued, eyes drifting back to the river. “to stay useful. if you’re fixing something, protecting something…you don’t have to stop long enough to feel how much you’re actually carrying.”

his jaw tightened just slightly as he placed his hands in the pocket of his hoddie “and if you do it long enough,” he added, “people stop asking. they assume you’ve got it handled.”

“sometimes it’s better that way.” gaze flicking back to her  “but it doesn’t mean it’s not heavy.”

the words settled between them, simple and unembellished, as he let out a faint breath through his nose. an almost tired huff, before his expression eased just a fraction. “so yeah,” he said, softer now. “i recognize it.”

“difference is…you don’t have to prove you can carry it alone.” his voice didn’t push or press. “you just…keep choosing to.”

[ichcrane]

“…Okay.”

Ichabod’s brows drew together, confusion settling across his face as he tried to follow what had just happened. The last thing he’d expected was for a stranger to sit down uninvited—let alone begin correcting his reading. He studied the man across from him for a moment. The calm way he watched him felt almost clinical, as if Ichabod were some specimen placed carefully beneath glass.

Strange, perhaps. Yet it didn’t unsettle him as much as it probably should have. When the man reached out and turned the book slightly, Ichabod simply watched, curiosity quietly replacing the initial surprise. The shift caught the lamplight better now, the faded text was suddenly easier to make out. He glanced down at the page, then back up at him.

“What do you mean?” he asked. His voice carried a cautious curiosity.

Ichabod adjusted the book in his hands, eyes moving across the paragraph again as if searching for whatever the other man had seen. After a moment he looked up once more, tilting his head slightly.

“You’ve read this before?”

His gaze flicked briefly toward the window where the older streets stretched out beyond the glass, dim under the streetlamps, then returned to the stranger’s black hair catching the yellow glow of the café light. “Why?” It was an odd question to ask, but he did so anyway. "Who are you?"

[keyguarded]

he didn’t answer right away, just kept his gaze lingering on the page as ichabod adjusted the book almost as if confirming something in the lines rather than reacting to the questions themselves. the corner of his thumb tapped once lightly against the table..as a soft “mm.” escaped his lips

who are you, his eyes finally lifted again. brighter under the low light, but just as steady as before, that same measured attention settling back into place like it had never left.

“just someone who learned the hard way not to trust what’s written about this place.” the answer came without weight, like a fact he wasn’t particularly interested in defending. “you learn a lot when you are out on the field. besides..” his gaze dipped briefly to the book again, then to ichabod’s hand where it held the page open. he added a bit quieter now. “history reads better when you take out the parts that don’t make people uncomfortable.”

his posture shifted, leaning back enough to give the space between them back. not retreating. but…adjusting. “the section you’re on talks about what survived.” his eyes flicked once toward the window again, toward the narrow streets folding into shadow. “not what was buried.”

“and yeah.” a faint pause.. “if you wanna know, i’ve read it.” he titled his head a fraction, studying him now with something a touch more direct. “you’re not reading it like someone who’s just curious.”

[ichcrane]

//starter

Ichabod occupies the farthest seat in the café, where the light thins and conversation blurs into something indistinct. The dimness suits him. It allows him to observe without being observed. The low hum of chatter settles into white noise, though he does not truly tune it out. He listens, selectively, sifting through fragments of dialogue in the faint hope that some careless remark might prove useful to his case.

Most of it is intolerably mundane. With quiet resignation, he withdraws a book borrowed from the library — a historical account of Elias, its older districts and half-forgotten foundations. The spine is stiff, as though rarely opened, yet the pages are browned with age, touched by time if not by readers. He studies it with measured attention, one leg crossed neatly over the other. The only light he permits himself is the pale spill of a streetlamp through the window beside him.

A chair scrapes across the floor. Someone sits opposite him. A controlled, steady breath follows.

Ichabod does not look up immediately. He turns a page instead, allowing the silence to stretch. It is unusual for anyone to approach him uninvited — more unusual still to do so without speaking. But human motives are rarely worth premature speculation. If they intend something, they will reveal it.

He continues reading. An artificial clearing of the throat breaks the quiet. That, apparently, is his cue. Only then does he lift his gaze — calm, composed, analytical. “Can I help you?” he asks evenly.

[keyguarded]

riku had chosen the seat without asking.the chair across from ichabod had scraped softly against the café floor before he settled into it, the movement quiet enough to disappear beneath the murmur of the room. he sat with an ease that bordered on stillness. his elbows resting lightly on the table, one hand loosely folded over the other. gaze drifted up to the book almost immediately, reading the title upside down without much effort.

Elias. Its foundations. of course. when ichabod finally looked up, riku was already watching him. not out of confrontation. just attentive in that unnervingly calm way he had…like someone used to studying people the same way others studied maps or books.

riiku’s eyes flicked briefly to the page Ichabod had just turned, then back to his face. “maybe” voice low, steady, carrying none of the tension someone might expect from interrupting a stranger’s quiet study session. he reached forward and gently turned the book a few degrees so the streetlamp caught the text better. “you’re reading the wrong section.”

gaze drifted toward the window, toward the older streets outside where the lamplight thinned and the buildings leaned closer together. “the districts they write about in that chapter were rebuilt after the first collapse.”  eyes returned to the page. “most of the original foundations were sealed.” he leaned back slightly in his chair, silver hair catching the faint yellow glow of the lamp.

[ericseara]

open starter for anyone. location: the underland, near the locust fight club.

the neon signs of the undersland buzzed overhead, flickering pink and blue against the cracked brick buildings and rain-slick pavement. music spilled out of open bar doors, mixing with the smell of fried food and cigarette smoke, the whole street alive in that messy, electric way it always is. eric stood just beneath a broken streetlamp, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets, watching the crowd like he was waiting for something bad to happen.

he spotted a familiar face across the street and felt something twist low in his chest, sharp and familiar. like they knew he wasn't meant to be there. for a second, he thought about turning around, letting the night carry him somewhere else. instead, he pushed off the wall and crossed toward you, boots splashing through shallow puddles. “didn’t think you hung out down here..."

[keyguarded]

riku had been leaning against the side of the building like he belonged to the shadows and not  the street. the neon from the undersland signs washed over him in as it shifted in colors - pink, blue, violet - each flicker catching briefly in his silver hair before sliding away again. gaze stayed on the crowd, watchful. when eric’s voice cut through the noise, he didn’t look surprised. not when he had already noticed him.

slowly, he pushed off the wall, straightening as eric approached. the puddle beneath eric’s boots splashed, neon rippling across the water like broken glass. eyes flicked briefly toward the bars lining the street, then back to eric. “i don’t,” he said simply. he took a moment to study eric for a moment, head tilting just slightly, as if weighing something unseen. “didn’t think you did either.”

[skellingtonisms]

#𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖾𝗋 ›› ft. jasper skellington location: main street status: 0/5

——— jasper felt as though he had been running around like a mad man all day. the idea of flowergrams had come to him in hopes to make people's day brighter. teaming up with minnie had been intimidating at first but the councilwoman had been more than thrilled to help jasper's vision come true. everything curated to perfection - a minnie mouse speciality.

currently, his arms were full of a variety of different colored roses with notes wrapped around each of them with beautiful white, laced ribbon. for someone so tall and moved with the grace of dancing shadows, jasper was trying his best not to run into someone at the moment.

"oh, did you have a flowergram?" he asked, looking down at the tags to see if the name rang a bell. "if you don't have one are you interested in helping deliver some?"

[keyguarded]

riku had been halfway down the street when the scent of roses caught him first. weet. unexpected  and sweet. cutting through the usual hum of elias - the distant laughter spilling out and the low thrum of magic that never really slept in this city. His steps slowed.

dark eyes lifted and landed on jasper, who looked dangerously close to being swallowed whole by an armful of roses, the ribbons fluttered in the breeze, white lace catching the light. for someone who moved like a shadow most days, riku paused a moment, just watching the careful balancing act. 

riku stepped closer, gaze drifting down toward the cluster of tags tied around the stems.  reaching forward and gently lifting one of the tags that had slipped sideways between the roses. the name written there made his brow knit slightly. sora.

for which seemed like a brief second something unreadable crossed his expression. sora had been… strange lately. quieter. distracted.  he turned the rose in his hand slowly, thumb brushing the ribbon. “…looks like I did.” voice calm, but soft as he pulled the rose free from the bundle with careful precision.  

[keyguarded]

riku almost walked past him as he scrolled through his messages. the café sat like a fragile little bubble on the edge of the locust’s gravity and hercu looked painfully out of place inside it, all golden strength and heroic buried under a landslide of human worry. riku slowed as he took notice of the endless papers and the coffee gone cold.

he stayed in the shadow, eyes sweeping the street first. old habit. the locust’s door breathed violence behind him with laughter sharp, magic humming low but his attention kept snagging back to the hero hunched over ink and responsibility.

strongest man in the city. drowning in paperwork. there was something almost beautiful about it.

he pulled the chair out, careful not to disturb the precarious towers of plans, and settled across from him. "you know there are easier ways to suffer."

[olympiczervous]

Hercules huffed a quiet laugh, rubbing a hand over his face before leaning back in his chair, which protested under the shift of his weight. “Oh, trust me, I tried the easier ways,” he said, tapping a stack of papers that immediately threatened to slide. “Turns out none of them come with zoning maps and contingency flowcharts.”

His eyes lifted to Riku properly now, sharp in that calm, assessing way that came from years of battle, even if the fight in front of him was mostly red tape. He followed Riku’s earlier glance toward the street without comment, filing it away. “Funny thing is,” he went on, quieter, “I can wrestle monsters all day. This?” He gestured vaguely at the mess. “This is the part that actually scares people. Or keeps them safe.”

He nudged a chair leg with his boot, grounding himself, then offered a crooked smile. “So if you’re offering commentary, I’ll take it. If you’re offering backup, ” his brow lifted, hopeful but not expectant, “I could use another set of eyes that knows how to watch the shadows and the exits.”

[keyguarded]

he didn't smile at first as his gaze moving along the papers and writting- angles, weaknesses, fault lines. routes in and out. the places something could slip through if no one was paying attention." you know monsters are honest," he said at last with a voice low yet steady. " they roar before they strike and don’t hide in committee votes." his fingers nudged one of the maps back into alignment before it could slide. "you’re not scared of paperwork," he added, eyes flicking up to herc with a faint sad smile "you’re scared of failing the people who won’t ever know you saved them..."

"hey..i get it."

[keyguarded]

sleep hadn’t stood a chance...not lately, at least. riku finally gave up sometime before dawn, the weight in his chest too heavy, memories too loud. every time he closed his eyes it was the same fractured flashes - heat, shouting, the sickening sense of being back somewhere he’d fought to leave behind. so he ran.

cold air tore through his lungs as his footsteps echoed along the quiet streets of elias. the city was still wrapped in that soft gray hour where night hadn’t fully let go yet. streetlights buzzed overhead but his breath came out in sharp clouds.

movement helped drown the noise, for a while. he slowed near the river path, hands braced on his thighs as his heart hammered against his ribs. the water rolled dark and calm beside him, reflecting the pale glow of early morning when he heard the slow steps behind him come to a stop.

he rolled his shoulders, posture casual but alert as he turned around towards the approaching presence. "morning,” he called out, voice steady despite the tension in his chest.

[1nquirer]

she had been slacking on her daily runs. her footsteps were not as light as they used to be, her breathing was more ragged, her speed was slower. agnes told herself this was fine. after all, this was only because she had been so focused on the disappearances and the strange occurrences throughout elias. yet, another part of her reprimanded herself for not taking care of herself properly.

agnes stopped by the river path, hands on her knees, panting heavily as she tried to regain some semblance of strength to continue, but she couldn't run anymore. she was too tired, too out-of-breath. she'd have to walk the rest of the way—which was exactly what she did.

on her path, in the distance, she spotted a figure (who she hoped meant no harm). as she stepped closer, the figure became clearer. riku.

"morning," she greeted quietly. their last encounter was heated, to say the least, on agnes' part. she wasn't able to control her anger then and she let her emotions get the best of her when she stormed the council building. "out for a morning walk?" she didn't know why she asked that; of course he was out for a walk.

"sorry, for last time," she said before she could stop herself. "i could've handled my emotions better."

[keyguarded]

he straightened, fingers dragging back through his damp hair as he steadied his breathing. the apology caught him off guard. he let out a faint huff of breath. not quite a laugh. nor a dismissal. "wasn’t exactly...” he admitted, glancing toward the river like it had answers. "couldn’t sleep." his gaze traveled back towards her. ragged breathing. the fatigue she probably thought she was hiding. she had always carried too much on her own shoulders..he could relate.

"don't worry about it, you had every right to be angry," he said evenly. no judgment or softness — just fact. "the council hasn’t exactly given anyone reasons to feel calm lately." he stepped a little closer, though he kept a respectful distance. the early morning light catching the exhaustion in his own expression. "never apologize for caring,” he continued quietly. "just… don’t burn yourself down trying to carry it alone."

[olympiczervous]

open starter for everyone

Hercules sat half-buried beneath a chaotic spread of papers, city maps, and half-crumpled napkins covered in hurried notes. He figured the coffee shop would be a nice change of scenery from the cramped office. He leaned over the table, squinting at a draft of the latest Guardian Initiative proposal. A force in the city not to enforce laws but to protect the citizens. That was the idea, anyway. He ran a hand through his curls and let out a long, slow breath as he stared down at the city schematics, one elbow perched next to a cup that had long gone cold. He was strong. Everyone knew that. But this was a different kind of heavy lifting.

Another page slid off the table. “Ugh, come on,” Hercules muttered, bending down to snatch it up before it was trampled by the shoes of a passing barista. It wasn’t the monsters or the magic that overwhelmed him, it was the paperwork. The fact that every line he drew here would change how people lived and felt safe. Still… he was glad to be doing something that mattered.

He straightened up and caught someone glancing his way, maybe at the mess, maybe at the title “GUARDIAN ZONES – PUBLIC SAFETY DRAFT 2C” in bold at the top of a sheet. He smiled faintly and gestured to the seat across from him. "If you need the seat please, take it. ” he said, “I can move my things.”

[keyguarded]

riku almost walked past him as he scrolled through his messages. the café sat like a fragile little bubble on the edge of the locust’s gravity and hercu looked painfully out of place inside it, all golden strength and heroic buried under a landslide of human worry. riku slowed as he took notice of the endless papers and the coffee gone cold.

he stayed in the shadow, eyes sweeping the street first. old habit. the locust’s door breathed violence behind him with laughter sharp, magic humming low but his attention kept snagging back to the hero hunched over ink and responsibility.

strongest man in the city. drowning in paperwork. there was something almost beautiful about it.

he pulled the chair out, careful not to disturb the precarious towers of plans, and settled across from him. "you know there are easier ways to suffer."

[keyguarded]

sleep hadn’t stood a chance...not lately, at least. riku finally gave up sometime before dawn, the weight in his chest too heavy, memories too loud. every time he closed his eyes it was the same fractured flashes - heat, shouting, the sickening sense of being back somewhere he’d fought to leave behind. so he ran.

cold air tore through his lungs as his footsteps echoed along the quiet streets of elias. the city was still wrapped in that soft gray hour where night hadn’t fully let go yet. streetlights buzzed overhead but his breath came out in sharp clouds.

movement helped drown the noise, for a while. he slowed near the river path, hands braced on his thighs as his heart hammered against his ribs. the water rolled dark and calm beside him, reflecting the pale glow of early morning when he heard the slow steps behind him come to a stop.

he rolled his shoulders, posture casual but alert as he turned around towards the approaching presence. "morning,” he called out, voice steady despite the tension in his chest.

[skellingtonisms]

an 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 for JASPER SKELLINGTON set in old elias 1 / 6 replies !!

———  the  last  time  jasper  had  a  giant  sack  of  presents  trailing  behind  him  he  had  hijacked  santa's  entire  holiday.  an  ambitious  yet  very  lost  sixteen  year  old  had  managed  to  do  the  unthinkable.  he  had  meant  well,  thinking  he  had  found  a  new  purpose  in  life  but  jasper  soon  realized  that  christmas  was  never  going  to  fill  the  void  he  had  in  his  chest.  still,  something  had  ignited  in  his  heart  the  first  time  he  stepped  foot  into  christmas  town.  a  warmth  that  felt  like  coming  home.  it  was  a  high  he  still  chased  and  wished  others  could  feel. elias  was  in  need  of  joy.  the  councilors  were  doing  all  they  could  to  make  the  citizens  feel  safe.  truthfully,  jasper  felt  like  he  wasn't  doing  enough  at  times.  if  he  could  snap  his  fingers  and  fix  everything  he  would.  however,  that's  not  how  reality  worked.  as  far  he  knew,  there  was  no  magic  spell  to  make  everything  go  back  to  normal.  so,  he  called  upon  a  favor.  one  that  sandy  claws  was  happy  to  oblige  to. the  giant  red  sack  dragged  along  the  cobblestone  path  of  mainstreet.  snow  had  begun  to  blanket  the  city.  soft  crystals  pillowing  on  the  land  to  signify  that  winter  was  here  and  the  earth  once  more  matched  the  holiday  season.  jasper  had  no  idea  what  presents  the  bag  held.  sandy  had  told  him  that  the  gifts  would  transform  into  the  gift  the  children's  heart  desired  once  they  held  it.   ❛   does  anyone  mind  helping  me  distributing  gifts  ?  ❜

[keyguarded]

riku slowed when he saw the sack first. red. ridiculously red. dragging across the cobblestone like it belonged to a storybook that had wandered into the wrong chapter.snow dusted his coat and dark hair as he stopped a few steps away, blue eyes tracking the trail the bag left behind before lifting to Jasper himself. for a moment, something unreadable crossed his expression..memory.

"you really don’t know how to do anything halfway, do you," he glanced around mainstreet at the lights, cautious smiles and the way people were trying so hard to believe things could still be gentle. elias was hungry for joy..and everyone..even him. was desperate for it. he stepped closer and reached down, taking hold of the sack without hesitation. it was heavier than it looked..but he will manage. "yeah, i’ll help."

"just… let’s keep an eye on things." he straightened with a firm grip "lead the way. i've got your back."

[violetheroism]

violet had been in a daze since her sudden, though expected, unemployment. this would be her first christmas out of home, out of municiberg, and in a time where she needed comfort and cosiness the most…in elias she still had to find it, not return to it. build a safe space from the ground up.

the festivities had been cheery, but today she was pacing herself. she had time to see everything, after all.

her wanderings took her to the guardian demonstration. the training square was not a place she frequented, so finally being able to soak it all in was enthralling to say the least. the word 'guardian' held such importance, so archaic and meaningful. it was on par with words like 'sorceror' and 'enchantment' and all others that were part of an arcane language she'd never encountered before.

she watched as the man performed his piece, looking as wrung-out as she felt. violet hesitated. well…he was here to demonstrate and to help with their enquiries…right?

she was standing in line at the coffee stand when he, miraculously, started heading her way. violet figured he was going to line up for coffee too.

clearing her throat, she waved her hand in his peripheral vision to try and catch his attention. when he spoke up first though, it caught her off guard. "no, uh, it's okay…" she gestured around them feebly, "i mean — i did want to talk with you but are you on your break right now, or something? you should totally take that, i am so not getting in your way, who knows when you'll get another one, am i right?" violet snorted softly.

looking over him once more, she felt a pang of empathy. "what are you gonna order? it's on me. i insist."

[keyguarded]

riku blinked as if her words had to pass through the fog in his head before they could land properly. for a heartbeat, he just looked at her. the easy backpedaling, the nervous humor, the way she was already trying to make herself smaller so he could have space. he recognized that instinct. too well.

"you’re fine," he said gently, the edge in his voice smoothing "really. i was heading for the same place." he followed her glance toward the coffee stand, the peppermint scent curling closer. merciful and sharp. he exhaled, some of the tension finally draining from his shoulders. a tired smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "this is the closest thing to a break i’m getting today.” when she offered to pay, he huffed out a quiet laugh "that’s a dangerous offer to make to someone running on fumes." he stepped a little closer to the stand, keeping his posture open "peppermint mocha. hot. no tricks." a pause, then he glanced back at her. "but only if you let me return the favor next time. deal?"

his gaze lingered "you looked… like you had a question? i don’t mind answering. just..maybe after caffeine saves my life."

[keyguarded]

left behind | open: 0 /3

the storm had already moved on. that was the worst part. by the time riku stumbled back toward the festival’s edge, the snow had settled into something almost gentle, lights steady again like nothing had gone wrong. music drifted through the square. laughter carried. people passed him without a second glance. as if someone hadn’t just vanished ten minutes ago.

he stopped near the outskirts, boots planted in slush, shoulders tight beneath his coat. his hands were still shaking. He shoved them into his pockets to hide them, jaw set like that might keep everything else from spilling out too. "They were right there," he said suddenly, to no one in particular. his voice came out low and hoarse. " I was running. i saw them." he ran a hand through his hair, breath frosting hard in the cold. "i saw..."

[keyguarded]

guardian demonstration (winter event) - open 1/3

Location: Elias Commons Training Square Time: late afternoon

the last ripple of the ward collapsed behind him, leaving the air faintly tinged with ozone and the soft ache of overused magic humming in his bones. riku dragged a hand through his hair as he stepped out of the demonstration circle, the noise of the crowd smoothing into a dull, harmless blur. his pulse had finally stopped racing. his head on the other hand... hadn’t. peppermint. riku could smell it from here. the coffee stand tucked beneath a canvas awning, steam coiling into the cooling air like a promise. if he could get there before someone asked him for a follow-up demonstration or just one more question, he might actually survive the rest of the afternoon.

he was strolling past the lingering crowd on autopilot, steps carrying him toward the promise of peppermint and quiet. halfway to salvation when a voice cut through the haze..too sharp, too close, and unmistakably aimed at him. riku halted mid-stride. shoulders dipped, the fragile moment of peace sliding straight through his grasp like water.

he turned his head just slightly, eyes half-lidded, expression caught between patience and the exhaustion underneath it. '"sorry," he murmured, voice roughened at the edges. "didn’t catch that. were you talking to me?" the coffee could wait...unfortunately.

[keyguarded]

under Stars (winter event) @scattereddrcams

the cold didn’t bother riku the way it used to. not really. he kinda like the way it sat against his skin. sharp, honest. as if the night itself was reminding him he was still here. still standing. still alive.

the observatory rooftop was alive in a quiet, reverent way. telescopes stood like patient sentinels, lenses angled toward a sky washed in dark ink and frost. strings of soft golden lights had been woven along the railings for the holiday open night, their soft glow reflecting off patches of snow that hadn’t yet melted. riku leaned against the railing, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, breath curling white as it left him. above, the sky felt closer than usual. like it was listening or waiting.

he checked his phone once..only once. a simple message received earlier, casual on the surface. You busy? Observatory’s open tonight. Rooftop. Thought you might like it,

he hadn’t explained why. he never really did. truth was, the world had been loud lately. filled with too many shadows moving where they shouldn’t. too much weight pressing between his shoulders. sora had been carrying his own storms, and riku could feel that strain like a pulled thread between them..this wasn’t about fixing anything. he’d learned better than that. tis was just… space. stars. cold air. silence that didn’t demand answers.

a ripple of color teased the horizon; shimmering bands of blue and green, like the sky itself was breathing. not a full aurora, not yet. but just enough to make the night feel magic-adjacent in the way elias often did. it stirred a memory he hadn’t meant to touch. they’d been younger. messier. lying flat on the hood of an old car that wasn’t really theirs, counting stars they couldn’t name and making up stories for the ones they missed. sora had laughed every time riku tried to be serious about it..about patterns.. about meaning... only to turn around and ask, wide-eyed and earnest, if he thought the stars ever watched them back. riku remembered the way the sky had felt endless then. how nothing seemed too heavy to carry as long as they were under it together.

he tilted his head back now, eyes tracing familiar constellations without really seeing them. his thumb brushed over the silver band at his finger, a grounding habit he didn’t think about anymore as he waited.

Come on, he thought quietly. not impatient. never that. Just be here for a minute.

[keyguarded]

@coraurion

Location: Underland Outskirts Time: Late Night

riku had been following him for a while. 3 times to be exact. not close enough to be noticed. not far enough to lose him. the way he’d learned to track once upon a time- when darkness still answered him like an old companion and every shadow felt negotiable.

the man moved like he belonged to the margins. never fully on the path. riku watched the way branches seemed to part just a fraction too easily, rather than resisted. it felt familiar. but familiarity could be a lie. i shouldn’t be here, riku thought dimly. not tonight. not like this. not when his shoulders ached beneath the weight of too many sleepless hours, too many quiet arguments with himself. sora was hurting...badly..and chaos kept stacking itself higher, faster, until riku felt like he was holding a cracking dam together with his bare hands.

he followed the figure to where the underland finally loosened its grip and the woods began to breathe. roots twisted through broken stone. the air smelled like cold earth and old magic. this was where things slipped through unnoticed. where light hesitated.

riku stepped wrong. just once. and the man stopped so suddenly riku barely had time to correct, shoulder brushing fabric, his hand catching instinctively, the contact snapped something in him..causing him to freeze. ...this.. wasn’t what he remembered.

he pulled back slowly, blue eyes lifting to take in the changed lines of cor’s face, the weight in his presence, the absence of something that used to shine so damn brightly it had hurt to look at...different..gone.

"…cornelius?”" he asked with a low uncertain voice