born-of-dusk

[born-of-dusk]

Open Your Mind

Pairing: F!Tav/OC x True Soul Nere Word count: 10.2k words Chapters: 5/? Synopsis: The former True Soul is saved before Balthazar can deliver the final blow and condemn him to undeath. Nere, knowing absolutely nothing about tieflings, believes himself to be indebted to a devil. Why else would she save his life twice and ask for nothing tangible in return? A/N: MC is my autistic tiefling warlock/sorcerer, Tavela.

[born-of-dusk]

With the situation rapidly escalating, Arika’s attention was split between the growing tension before her and Tomme’s progress with swiping the food. Just need to buy a little more time and we’ll be home free. After a moment’s hesitation, she sheathed her sword and put herself between the naga and the mob as best she could, spreading her arms wide to create a thin barrier between the two groups.

“Easy now! No need to get worked up over a little snake. I’m certain the poor thing’s far more scared of all of you than you could ever be of it,” she said to the hostile crowd gearing up to fight the naga. She glanced sympathetically to the tiny creature this whole mess started over then at the snakeman who towered above her. “I mean you nor the little one no harm, good sir.” Her feline ears flicked reflexively at the din of unrest in the air. “Is there someplace you can escort it to safety?”

Expecting a sizable beast to slay, Arika was stricken with disappointment and confusion when she reached the source of the chaos: the tiniest snake she had ever seen. Seriously? That’s what was causing all this fuss?? She tried to follow it as it disappeared into the crowd but had trouble keeping an eye on it. Remembering her initial mission, she opened up the bag in her pocket and whispered inside.

“Now’s your chance. I’ll keep the snake safe from a distance so it can distract the crowd as long as possible, just give me a signal when we need to wrap things up.”

[born-of-dusk]

Expecting a sizable beast to slay, Arika was stricken with disappointment and confusion when she reached the source of the chaos: the tiniest snake she had ever seen. Seriously? That’s what was causing all this fuss?? She tried to follow it as it disappeared into the crowd but had trouble keeping an eye on it. Remembering her initial mission, she opened up the bag in her pocket and whispered inside.

“Now’s your chance. I’ll keep the snake safe from a distance so it can distract the crowd as long as possible, just give me a signal when we need to wrap things up.”

Arika remarked Tomme's reaction first with apprehension then mild amusement then with morbid curiosity when he seemingly vanished from within the purple bag she was now carrying. Rappelling down to the balcony was a trivial task; stealthily sidestepping the couple was another story. She took a chance and waited in the shadows until the man decided to strum his guitar and the woman had become sufficiently enthralled with his performance. Arika help her breath for safe measure as she crept through the doorway and into the bustling ballroom. Those cats weren't kidding, the food smelled absolutely otherworldly.

"We're in. How should we proceed" she whispered into her pocket. As excited and famished as she was, she still tried to maintain a sense of professionalism.

Their newly won victory would be short-lived, however, as a disturbance erupted on the dance floor. Arika rushed to the commotion on pure instinct with a hand on the hilt of her sword, expecting to cut down a monstrous beast rather than a common garden snake.

[born-of-dusk]

Arika remarked Tomme's reaction first with apprehension then mild amusement then with morbid curiosity when he seemingly vanished from within the purple bag she was now carrying. Rappelling down to the balcony was a trivial task; stealthily sidestepping the couple was another story. She took a chance and waited in the shadows until the man decided to strum his guitar and the woman had become sufficiently enthralled with his performance. Arika help her breath for safe measure as she crept through the doorway and into the bustling ballroom. Those cats weren't kidding, the food smelled absolutely otherworldly.

"We're in. How should we proceed" she whispered into her pocket. As excited and famished as she was, she still tried to maintain a sense of professionalism.

Their newly won victory would be short-lived, however, as a disturbance erupted on the dance floor. Arika rushed to the commotion on pure instinct with a hand on the hilt of her sword, expecting to cut down a monstrous beast rather than a common garden snake.

Arika set off up the stairs with her companions as soon as they sorted themselves out, trying her best to dampen her bootsteps. Amidst a sea of fine flowing gowns and sequined bodices, an elegant yet practical number stood out to her. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, but really so was everything else around her. At least she could fight in this if the need arose.

"Alright, I'm ready. The balcony will be easy enough to ascend to as long as you hold on, feel free to dig your claws in if you must."

Arika knelt down to be at the cats' level and hunched over slightly. As she eyed them expectantly, it quickly became clear that she meant for them to cling to her as if to ride piggyback. She had no sign of climbing gear in her possession, not even a rope! What the cats could sense though was a slight pressure in the air followed by a faint tingling in their stomachs that evoked a sense of weightlessness. This was definitely magic. But of what sort?

[born-of-dusk]

Arika set off up the stairs with her companions as soon as they sorted themselves out, trying her best to dampen her bootsteps. Amidst a sea of fine flowing gowns and sequined bodices, an elegant yet practical number stood out to her. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, but really so was everything else around her. At least she could fight in this if the need arose.

"Alright, I'm ready. The balcony will be easy enough to ascend to as long as you hold on, feel free to dig your claws in if you must."

Arika knelt down to be at the cats' level and hunched over slightly. As she eyed them expectantly, it quickly became clear that she meant for them to cling to her as if to ride piggyback. She had no sign of climbing gear in her possession, not even a rope! What the cats could sense though was a slight pressure in the air followed by a faint tingling in their stomachs that evoked a sense of weightlessness. This was definitely magic. But of what sort?

Arika listened intently to what the trio of cats explained of their current situation with a steely serious expression. After being briefed on the situation, she easily shifted into “mercenary mode,” mentally considering their options with efficiency and speed. She hardly resembled the awestruck fish out of water from just moments ago.

“Very well, I admit that my specialty is swordsmanship but I assume you’d prefer to avoid violence if possible. I could serve as a distraction for the mark while one of you pickpockets them but that might raise suspicion quickly. We could also exploit some compromised aspect of security. If there are balconies that are likely to be empty or unguarded I could transport you three up. My only terms for payment are a share of the food.”

[born-of-dusk]

Arika listened intently to what the trio of cats explained of their current situation with a steely serious expression. After being briefed on the situation, she easily shifted into “mercenary mode,” mentally considering their options with efficiency and speed. She hardly resembled the awestruck fish out of water from just moments ago.

“Very well, I admit that my specialty is swordsmanship but I assume you’d prefer to avoid violence if possible. I could serve as a distraction for the mark while one of you pickpockets them but that might raise suspicion quickly. We could also exploit some compromised aspect of security. If there are balconies that are likely to be empty or unguarded I could transport you three up. My only terms for payment are a share of the food.”

The moment Arika’s eyes adjusted to the dazzling lights of this opulent palace, she could scarcely comprehend what she was seeing. Beastkin! Countless kinsmen of all manner of shapes dressed in foreign fancy clothing, socializing freely without any sign of hiding, all appearing to be of noble status. Wherever she was, it was something out of a dream. The aroma of delicious (and probably expensive) food wafted through the air to spite her empty stomach. Strange moving sentinels of iron appeared to be guarding the entryways. And here she was in scavenged hide and cloth armor, a curved weathered scabbard at her hip. How has nobody kicked her out yet?

When Arika was suddenly addressed by an unseen figure, she whipped around to greet the three catkin in varying fashions. Still reeling from the plethora of stimuli around her, their banter and unusual accents were too much for her to process at the moment. Feline blood oath? Ticket? Grub?

“Uh, I don’t—sorry, I just arrived here and I don’t really know where or what this place is. Forgive me, but could you explain…everything you just said?”

[born-of-dusk]

The moment Arika’s eyes adjusted to the dazzling lights of this opulent palace, she could scarcely comprehend what she was seeing. Beastkin! Countless kinsmen of all manner of shapes dressed in foreign fancy clothing, socializing freely without any sign of hiding, all appearing to be of noble status. Wherever she was, it was something out of a dream. The aroma of delicious (and probably expensive) food wafted through the air to spite her empty stomach. Strange moving sentinels of iron appeared to be guarding the entryways. And here she was in scavenged hide and cloth armor, a curved weathered scabbard at her hip. How has nobody kicked her out yet?

When Arika was suddenly addressed by an unseen figure, she whipped around to greet the three catkin in varying fashions. Still reeling from the plethora of stimuli around her, their banter and unusual accents were too much for her to process at the moment. Feline blood oath? Ticket? Grub?

“Uh, I don’t—sorry, I just arrived here and I don’t really know where or what this place is. Forgive me, but could you explain…everything you just said?”

Ah, that settles it, Arika erroneously thought, I really am dead. What else could explain such an idyllic atmosphere and such a grand glittering building. It hardly looked like any stronghold or castle she’d ever seen. And yet this wasn’t quite the afterlife she had envisioned, not according to the what she was brought up to believe anyway.

Just to be sure, the swordswoman slapped her once numb face and found that, no, that still very much stung. But if she wasn’t dead then that meant she was somewhere very very far from home. The thought filled her with dread at first but that feeling quickly changed to cautious optimism. Maybe this was an opportunity at a better life, she hoped. Sterling herself for whatever awaited her in the shining tower, she continued eastward through the field of flowers.

@bofflesresort

[born-of-dusk]

Ah, that settles it, Arika erroneously thought, I really am dead. What else could explain such an idyllic atmosphere and such a grand glittering building. It hardly looked like any stronghold or castle she’d ever seen. And yet this wasn’t quite the afterlife she had envisioned, not according to the what she was brought up to believe anyway.

Just to be sure, the swordswoman slapped her once numb face and found that, no, that still very much stung. But if she wasn’t dead then that meant she was somewhere very very far from home. The thought filled her with dread at first but that feeling quickly changed to cautious optimism. Maybe this was an opportunity at a better life, she hoped. Sterling herself for whatever awaited her in the shining tower, she continued eastward through the field of flowers.

@bofflesresort

The Lost

@born-of-dusk

Arika trudged down a well worn path through the woods in the village outskirts, clinging to her threadbare cloak with numb calloused hands. It was the third village in a row now that wouldn’t have her even in so much as a ramshackle barn, let alone lodging at the seediest tavern. Once again her beastkin features would force her to forage and seek shelter outdoors. Damn, she thought, the cold season is early this year. She pulled her hood over her pointed furry ears that sat atop her deep chestnut hair and shuddered as dead leaves crunched under her boots. The autumn twilight quickly darkened leaving Arika in the midst of eerie, cold, stillness. A clearing, I just need to find a clearing to set up camp then I’ll figure something out, she deluded herself into thinking. Perhaps it was the delirium from hunger or the chilling numbness the engulfed her that kept her from noticing the changes in her surroundings at first. The air was warmer, the foliage below her dampened, the smell was sweeter. She stumbled towards a pinhole of light that steadily grew and clarified, leaving her certain she had died in those woods. How else could she explain the welcoming sea of flowers she had found herself in? Surely this must be the afterlife. Right?

The field of flowers blew silently in the soft breeze, giving no answer to Arika's uncertain thoughts as a few startled pigeons flushed from the ground with cries of surprise. Should she look back from whence she came she'd find everything she'd passed moments ago gone, swapped with a new unfamiliar patch of forest entirely. The well worn path had now been replaced by a more temporary one of bent plant stems and flowers where someone had carelessly wandered through them. This path was headed East, toward a large brightly lit structure in the distance. It looked like the sort of fancy hotel you might see in a large city, but oddly there was only the one, as if it had been plucked from a large populous and set in the middle of this wilderness with no rhyme or reason. Nearby, in a cluster of trees to the West, birds had begun singing. However, the song wasn't the regular fluster of chirping, but a far more melodic tune. E D C G A F E D E D C G A D C B E D C G A F E D E D C G A D C A simple melody to be sure, but a melody all the same. It seemed mellow, and comforting. Had someone taught these birds how to sing this song? Or perhaps these birds were something altogether unusual. It might be worth investigating. Then again maybe... safer left alone.

[born-of-dusk]

tell me a pretty thing.

[born-of-dusk]

a kind caring character being kind and caring because they actively choose to be despite their anger and trauma will always be infinitely more compelling and relatable than them just being a pure innocent baby uwu

[born-of-dusk]

literally NOTHING can compare to found family stories like that trope is the actual physical beating heart in my chest. choosing your family, who you want to love and heal with, who you believe in and viciously defend and trust. forming those bonds on your own is SUCH a lovely, compelling narrative that we should NOT sleep on. thanks.

[born-of-dusk]

“Don’t worry they’re just awkward”

Couldn’t decide which Repliku for her to adopt so why not both?

[born-of-dusk]

fun fact: arika is my oldest surviving oc. i made her in middle school and that’s why she’s got cat ears in current year. she’s been through a lot of design changes over the years but the cat ears are a must

[born-of-dusk]

Komorebi or: Those Who Love Shadows

Characters: Vanitas, Arika (OC)

Summary: The New Replica Program aims to give some of the former Seekers of Darkness a new lease on life, a chance to atone and be their own selves separate from their fate bound by the late Master Xehanort. Vanitas has a hard time adjusting to life without a purpose, and it’s up to one tough cat lady from another world to show him the way.

Word count: ~2,800

A/N: this is literally my first fanfic ever and this happened because i really wanted this edgy boy to have a mom. you are getting redeemed damnit.

Vanitas was brooding around a shady tree in the outer gardens when a distant commotion caught his attention. Normally, he could tune out idle chatter and background noise easily but the voices he heard were just a little too familiar. He spared a passing glance from behind a flower hedge and recognized the taller guy with blue hair from their time as the Seekers of Darkness. He and the one with red hair were blathering about some nonsense with Xion and three other kids he didn’t recognize. Whatever. They looked like they were just standing around waiting for something or someone. Vanitas turned his attention back to the flickering specks of filtered sunlight that danced along his armored legs in time with the fluttering leaves above, just killing time until he had to go meet a certain strange lady. 

Arika had taken it upon herself to try and “help” him and the other former Seekers for some reason when they were given second (third?) chances at life in the form of the New Replica Program. ‘I sympathize with all who feel lost, who have been toyed with by fate, who struggle with themselves,’ she said. Whatever, lady, you can do what you want as long as I still get free food and a room to myself. Since the moment of his “birth” the boy had only known one truth: he was created to clash with his other half, forge the χ-blade, and bring about a second Keyblade War. This was his one and only purpose and failing to accomplish this goal would not be tolerated. The old coot, Xehanort, saw to establishing that quickly as well as frequently. And this whole new existence without a clear goal to chase and being around people who didn’t see him as a means to an end was...he didn’t like to think too hard about it. 

After a few minutes he got up to stretch before heading out when he heard the gaggle of friends perk up at their final missing member arriving with his arms full of that blue ice cream everyone seemed to like. It was…Ventus? Ventus was here in Radiant Garden right now? No, that wasn’t right. Same face, same sort of getup, but that wasn’t his brother there apologizing and laughing like a huge loser. It was the other one, that Roxas kid. Just seeing him was enough to sour his mood, but seeing him with his massive group of friends? That was enough to spawn an Unversed or two somewhere in the worlds in an instant. He tried to shrug it off, then he wanted to mock them or slap that stupid ice cream out of Ven-- Roxas’s hands and onto the ground. Anything to dampen that happy atmosphere, but he didn’t. Instead he tried to divert his negative thoughts elsewhere but that stupid smiling face was already burned into his mind. And then those awful thoughts went towards that slippery slope he always seemed to come back to: 

Ventus doesn’t need me. Master Xehanort isn’t around anymore so now there’s no use for me, no purpose to exist. Darkness is all I am and all I’ll ever be. A being of pure darkness in a world of light. What am I even doing here?

That caused a dull blooming pain in the back of his head that surely must’ve heralded another Unversed somewhere, and not a scrawny Flood or Scrapper either. He didn’t raise a hand to soothe the ache and instead let it run its course. That would be a sign of weakness, after all. Right about now he was supposed to be training with his…master? Caretaker? Whatever that lady was to him he still wasn’t sure. She’d offered to spar with him once or twice then to train him from the ground up in a more cohesive style. Something about sound bodies yielding sounds minds or some such drivel. This week she was supposed to help him practice parrying attacks with his keyblade after stressing the importance of defensive maneuvers in addition to the devastating offensive ones that he was more inclined towards. He scoffed at the idea at first but relented after seeing her dispel a mob of Heartless with her fancy footwork and fluid parries into slashes into a wave-clearing focused energy surge. She made it look easy so he figured he may as well add it to his repertoire, even if it did look kinda girly. Maybe it’d help him get his mind off of those troublesome thoughts.

But the rotten start had already tainted the rest of his day. First, Arika had scolded him for being late and made him do 20 laps around the training grounds as punishment. Then she had him do the usual warmup routine of muscle stretches, more laps, and a few sets of the 32-step sword form routine she pieced together for him. Of course he couldn’t blitz through it either; no, he had to do it painfully slow over and over until he did it perfectly. Once he got to the actual sparring it was all downhill. His mind was all over the place bouncing back and forth between thinking about what Ventus was up to, trying to time his parries just right, minding his stances, seething about Roxas having to exist in his general area and look just like his “brother.” His footwork was off, his distraction earned him a few well timed parries strong enough to send his training sword flying, his own attempts just slightly mistimed or lacking finesse which resulted in static blocks. All the while Arika tried to bark out advice and corrections but none of it got through that flurry of doubts and self-criticisms that was storming inside him.

“Stance steady! Stay light on your feet until the blade falls. Meet it at an angle, partial flat. Elbows in!”

Every word she uttered only irritated him further and fueled the ire burning inside. Get it together, Vanitas! Just parry a single hit already! How’d you get so weak and useless?! In his frustration he ended up reverting to his original brash and wild style unlike the more focused one he had drilled into him over weeks of grueling practice. Without even realizing it, he’d given up on the lesson entirely and just gave it his all to land a single massive hit and be done with this charade. 

Arika’s eyes widened when wisps of darkness started emanating off of him and she switched gears entirely when he charged her at full speed. Lacking enough time between blocking his blows to attempt to talk him down, she threw herself into the fight in hopes he’d soon tire himself out. Despite his raw enraged power being on par with hers, Arika’s years of experience and coolheaded approach let her deflect every sword slash and thrust Vanitas threw at her, either artfully sidestepping a blow or returning the force of it in full. At last in his rage and desperation, Vanitas resorted to his iconic overhead strike after leaving behind an afterimage. He warped into the air behind Arika, empowered his weapon with all of his dark magic, and swung down with all his might.

“Too slow!”

But the blade never met its target. Arika disappeared in a blur of violet just short of the blast and delivered a stunning barehanded strike to Vanitas’s solar plexus that sent him flying. The next thing he knew Vanitas was on the ground with the wind knocked out of him, his teacher dispelling her weapon in his peripheral vision. After catching her breath, she glanced down at her student and offered him a hand. This single gesture flooded the boy with anxiety and fear when he realized what he’d done, what he had tried to do. Wait, no! Damn it, I really messed up this time. It took everything he had not to create any more Unversed right then and make things worse for himself but that nagging voice in the back of his mind kept needling him with barbs of doubt. He knew what she was going to say but he just knew there was something more she was hiding. She only did this if…

“That’s quite enough for today. Come, let’s wind down.” It was calm and even like always but he could’ve sworn he heard some bite in the first half this time.

She’s giving up. She thinks you’re weak. No, she knows.

Ven was off in his nice little homeworld with his nice little group of friends that somehow hadn’t fallen apart in the decade they were scattered to the winds. He had friends, connections…a family. Ven didn’t need him, Xehanort didn’t, and now neither did Arika. After all that garbage about “caring” and “sympathy” she was throwing him away. Of course, he was darkness and nothing more. There’s no way she would forgive what he did. And worst of all he failed miserably, he was utterly useless. The air around him grew colder and his whole body felt numb before he reacted the only way he knew how. 

“Just stop it,” he muttered. She raised an eyebrow but stood unmoved.

“Stop what?”

“Just say what you mean and give up already! I know what you’re thinking so just say it,” he shouted, snubbing his master’s aid and slowly rising to his own two feet. The dark wisps had grown to envelop the boy almost entirely in a chilly shroud; he stared down at the inky haze that pooled around his feet and balled his fists at his sides. He let himself get lost in his pounding headache but fought to bite back the prickling tears welling in his eyes. No, anything but that. He was weak enough already.

“Give up on trying to ‘help’ me, it pisses me off! Keep your pity and let me sink back into darkness where I belong! And don’t pretend you still care after I tried to kill you because I won’t believe you! So just quit this whole act and stop trying to save me from-”

Vanitas hadn’t noticed Arika close the distance during his fuming outburst until she had stepped into his view. He shifted his ireful gaze from her feet to her face and was met with something truly bizarre. He was expecting a hateful sneer or cold sharp eyes. But instead he saw a look of concern, maybe even...sorrow? What? Suddenly he found himself wrapped up in a warm hug that caused the smoky dark aura that enveloped him to slowly but surely wane. Not having a clue how to react, Vanitas just stood there still and utterly dumbfounded.

“It’s alright, Vani. I’m not giving up on you, we’re just taking a break for the day. We can try again when you’re feeling better. I should have noticed something was troubling you earlier and for that, I am so sorry,” she said in a soft quivering voice. These strange words spoken in a kind yet sad voice made no sense to the boy. He’d failed, he’d tried to seriously hurt his master. She could’ve died. And she was apologizing to him? And she’d called him some cutesy nickname that didn’t irritate him as much as it should’ve. He balled his fists again, overwhelmed and baffled.

“W-what the hell are you talking about?! How could you have known-,” he snapped his head to face her and happened to notice that the dark aura around him was almost entirely gone. In fact, he felt significantly less frustrated and angry too all of a sudden. Like a massive weight was lifted off his chest and he could breathe again. But Vanitas realized the cost of that relief quickly, that darkness does not simply disappear. 

Arika’s smile was pained and her brow furrowed; he shifted his gaze to her false right arm made of her psionic magic. Normally a brilliant shade of violet, it had been dyed black by inky veins that snaked up the forearm and ended at her shoulder where magic met flesh. She winced as tiny errant barbs of the dark substance calcified and broke through the skin of her shoulder, he could practically feel it himself and winced in return. Arika gave Vanitas, now looking concerned himself, a dismissive gesture as the inky lines crawled up her false arm and out of her skin in short bursts only to fall to the ground and shatter or dissipate into vapor outright.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have taken your pain without asking either. Don’t worry about me, I’ve gotten the hang of tempering it through experience. It’s something my people can do,” she trailed off. Her smile fell and her eyes softened as she looked at him with an expression the boy could not describe, but it almost looked like she was feeling the same way he did just moments ago. Was this what she meant by sympathy? “You are very strong for having shouldered this pain in your heart for so long. How it must have ached...if you would let me I would help lighten the load any way I can. No one should have to suffer alone.”

Vanitas was at a loss for words; his head was a little clearer but he still felt awful about everything that had just transpired. And now he was baffled by whatever this magic trick was. Just what are you, lady? Someone who didn’t think he was weak, apparently. She even called him strong and was willing to hurt herself for his sake? But in a helping kind of way. There were plenty of questions to be asked, it’s not like he was super happy all of a sudden. He still wasn’t sure what he was feeling now in his fledgling heart (other than “not bad”), he didn’t know whether more punishment was in store for him after his stunt (probably not), he didn’t know how to feel about having his emotions—though negative—siphoned away even if it made him feel better. And while he started to admit to himself that he did want her help, he wasn’t sure what he wanted her to do. But there was one nagging question he had to know the answer to right now.

“Why do you care so much about me? Even though I’m…”

“Even though you’re darkness?” she chuckled. He looked away, almost afraid to hear her answer. “Because my heart can love darkness, of course. And darkness can learn to love back.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle dryly at that answer. Now you’re just making stuff up. “That’s impossible, lady. Darkness isn’t capable of that kind of mushy junk, it’s all just hate and pain.” But then what am I feeling?

Now it was her turn to rebuke him. “Oh, but it’s true. I’m living proof of it, as is my friend Cora and countless others who came before us. We all descend from the one born from the union between pure Light and pure Dark eons ago on my world. We all have light and darkness in our hearts in varying sizes, it’s what makes us all children of twilight. When the Dark fell in love with the Light...” she trailed off serenely. The last of the barbs painlessly fell away to the winds to return to the world and the hearts of living beings. Arika placed her hand to her shoulder and began to heal her wounds shut while Vanitas scratched his head at these outlandish notions placed before him. Light and darkness joining together? And they made some kid instead of a χ-blade? 

“But how? How could darkness fall in love with light at all?”

Arika regarded his question sagely for a moment before pulling the boy into another hug which he received less awkwardly. She placed her good hand on his messy hair and gave it a ruffle, “because the Light ceased fighting with the Dark long enough to listen to him, to understand his pain, and from there a bond was formed.”

Vanitas had neither a sarcastic quip nor follow-up question at the ready, he simply hummed and reluctantly rested his head on his master’s shoulder. He hoped she didn’t notice when he leaned ever so slightly into her hand as she patted his head. Clumsily, he brought his arms up to return the hug but only barely making contact back. This was still weird and new and he didn’t want to make this totally new feeling in his chest disappear just yet. It was something heavy and light, comforting and terrifying, yet entirely warm. Is this…a connection? He tightened his grip to brace himself against the prickling of tears but gave into the urge to let them fall where they may, it was relieving somehow. Arika stroked his hair and started to hum a song from a far-off world, letting her tears shed in kind. Their tears of joy were warm like the embrace they shared in solace, like the feeling in their hearts at this very moment, like the sunshine that greeted the shadows through the trees.

[born-of-dusk]

My muse/main OC, Arika, that I gratuitously insert into whatever my current obsession is. 45 year old one-armed cat lady swordswoman with an adjustable psionic prosthetic.

Current obsession: Kingdom Hearts (multiship)

Backstory: Her world was one of the many lost to darkness circa KH1, ended up in Traverse Town as a result along with her two confidantes (ya gotta have trios, in this case the Isekai Trio). Moves to Radiant Garden post-KH3 to search for a way to reawaken her world as well as the reason why it hasn’t been restored. And that’s where she meets some newly vessel’d edgy bois and/or sad old men.

time to comfort all them bois vanitas and replitwo need a mom stat and she’s here to deliver