glitchy-aus

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Guess that means I have laundry to do. Better go while they’re all distracted, else Zweim might try to stab me or something for touching his clothes. Speaking of things that needed a good wash… Riku lifted an arm and gingerly sniffed in the direction of his armpit. He made a grimace.

“I’m going upstairs to bathe and do laundry. You boys… please don’t cause anything to explode. Have at to the fridge, but remember some of us require that stuff.” Riku called as he ascended the stairs toward the master bed and bathroom.

“Don’t answer the door if anyone knocks!��

“Okay!”  Sol called back, eyes glued to the screen.  

Thankfully, for Riku, that would distract them for hours.  Well at least it distracted the Nobody and Heartless.  Their brother periodically do a visual security check, marking and remarking exit points.

The only sound, other than the TV, made was when Eil went to get a snack.  Finding a sweet fruit, the Heartless went back to watch the show and enjoy the fruit he had nabbed.  

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

“It’s a form of electronic entertainment,” Riku explained, and then gently guided the boy back into the living room. “And I meant more that your brother won’t want to get dressed unless he can keep an eye on you. Zweim seems like he’s practically shaking with the need to put his own clothes back on,” Riku smirked as they came into hearing distance of Zweim. “Wouldn’t you prefer he be more comfortable?”

Riku walked over to the couch without a care (close to Eins, without so much as a flinch of discomfort) and grabbed a small, black stick with buttons. He turned it toward a box with a glass face and pressed the large, red button toward the tip. The television flickered on with the soft sound of music.

“This is a T.V. You can watch things on it,” Riku spoke as he held the remote to Sol, or at least presented it while pointing out the buttons for volume and channels. “This can make it louder or softer, and this will change what you’re watching. Give it a try.”

“You mean the clothes he hasn’t washed since the last time we were near an active water source?”  He grimaced, clearly that had been a while.  Probably a good month or so.  Even Eil had whipped his head around, making a similar grimace.  Yep these two were without a doubt the same person.

Zweim, suppressing a roll of his eyes, simply kept an eye on them.  Ignoring the fact he felt nude without his layers.  Exposed like a knight without armor.  Yet he still had his Keyblade, his magic.  A shake of the head and his own concerns and desires forced down and locked away.

However, as Riku would soon discover, Zweim was still human and not some feral beast of a mother hen.  For when the TV sparked to life, just like the halves of his brother, the elder stared in a sort of awe.  

Sol gently took the device with eagerness that only little children know how to do.  Bouncing with delight, he tested the buttons.  The volume first then the channels.  His tiny fingers flicking through the channels while Eil’s eyes widened.  The Heartless sitting down in front of it with his head tilted to the side. Eventually, it landed on some animated show about children trapped in another world with monsters.  And there it would stay as both the Nobody and Heartless became entranced by it.  It even garnered the gaze of their brother between his security checks.  A brow quirked.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku sighed at the knowledge that Zweim was basically doomed (to always be stuck as a mother hen). He imagined if Sol so much as accidentally nicked himself it’d be Riku who would be given a switch whack on the head or something. He shook his head at the boy.

“Why don’t you help your brother get dressed instead? He’ll need help getting out of those clothes,” and he’ll want to keep an eye on you. Riku put aside a few fish packs and two zucchini from their haul, the rest he put away. Since the boys didn’t really need food he wasn’t planning on making much.

And, in truth, he wasn’t too hungry himself. His stomach wanted to argue, but his mood kept his appetite low.

“After, you can watch television with your brothers. I’ll show you how to work the remote.”

“He’s a grown up and able to do that on his own though.”  Confusion.  Even Nobodies could feel that.  Or at the very least Sol understood how to look like he was.  That head tilt, the raised eyebrow.  Sure he was still a child but knew that independance came with age.  The lack of aid needed.  That and given how Zweim was, the little Nobody knew better than to try to help.

It was like a brick wall with ice.

And now there was more confusion.  “What’s television?  Remote?”  Being on the road, on the run from society, this one was at least easy to know why he didn’t know.  Smart kid but hadn’t had comforts others had.  Did their homeworld even have that technology?  Hard to know without asking Zweim.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku watched without so much as a flinch as the Heartless changed forms and ripped the coconut apart. He shook his head, in a sort of fond way he might with a normal friend, before turning to head into the kitchen. He didn’t think twice about if such a reaction were strange or not (little did this group know, either way, that Riku had seen… and done… weirder. Darker. Stupider). 

Instead of worrying about the boys in his living room (and how one was wielding a weapon while looking hunted and one was currently formed into a big monster), he wondered what he even had to eat. They had just gone shopping, so he proceeded to put the food away first before cooking.

Lots of fish… He thought idly to himself with a sigh. Ugh, I’m pathetic…

Zweim watched as Riku headed for the kitchen.  His teeth gritted as he was torn between locating his clothes and changing and staying to watch the two he so dearly protected.  Did he be selfish and seek comfort?  Or do as he had been and become numb to his desires and focus on his vow?  The later eventually won out and he kept his focus on watching for enemies.

However, Riku wouldn’t be alone in the kitchen for very long.  Sol, after gathering himself from his giggle fit, bounded after him.  He was the group’s cook after all.  That bright smile on his face.  A cheery bounce on his toes.  And of course that chipper tone of voice.  “Can I help?”  Bright emerald eyes stared up at the silverette, having that pleading look that only a small child could muster.  Strange magic those tots had, persuasion with just their eyes.  

Perhaps it was that knowledge that kept Zweim somewhat calm.  Well that and at the sign of danger, Sol could scream at that hellish level that only a child can reach.  Still, the protective sibling kept close.  Having moved to be as close as he could without leaving Eil alone.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku frowned at how the brothers blocked the way. He should have been better at pretending not to be so bitter (one only needed five minutes with the boy to know he was the concerned, overly-caring type), but it was too late. Riku sighed and shook his head.

“I’d rather discuss it with a beer in my hand and some food in my belly. Hop inside and I’ll cook something.”

Maybe food would distract the boy? Then again, he was a Nobody. Did anyone but himself even need sustenance? Either way, what he said was true–and his stomach immediately backed him (like a good friend) by emitting a loud growl.

“Okay!”  Sol replied, heading inside instantly.  For a Nobody, he really had the whole appearing to feel emotions thing down.  Perhaps being split so young had to do with it.  Hard to tell unless they found some other instance of it.  

Zweim followed had in silence.  Relief from the heat at long last.  And now he could possibly get back into his own clothes.  He still felt far too exposed with this outfit.  His silver eyes scanning the room as he stood in a corner.  Again.  He marked all possible escape routes.  Checked for threats.  His fingers twitching as his Keyblade formed.  It was instinct for him to have it out.

As for the Heartless?  He happily took the treat that Sol had gotten him.  Downing the previously frozen treat down faster than Sol had.  Yet didn’t have any sort of adverse reaction to it.  Upon getting his hands on the coconut, he tried to bite into it with his sharp fangs.  Then he got frustrated and shifted into his monstrous form to consume this large nut.  No more than a second later did the loudest crack fill the air.  Was almost like a firecracker going off.

Coconut juices and bits spilled a bit down Eil’s chin.  That was one way to enjoy a coconut.  And it got Sol into a fit of giggles, even Zweim smiled a touch.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku looked down as his hand was suddenly taken. It made it hard to keep eating with the spoon, and he detested staining his lips and face by eating it directly, but he didn’t want to be rude and take his hand back. Instead, he left the spoon in his sherbert and let the treat melt as they continued down the road back toward his little brownstone.

There was still a heaviness there and Riku wasn’t really smiling, which was still very different from his first impressions, but at least his vision didn’t feel milky and his head had cleared. Concentrating on the little hand in his certainly helped.

oo00oo00oo

Once they arrived back, Riku let go of Soleil to open the door for everyone. It was an old habit of his–male or female, he was the gentlemanly door holder. And it was one of the few ways he had retained any sort of manners; every other possible way he was a dick without apology. Usually. 

Zweim slowed his pace to keep a closer eye on Sol as they walked.  

Sol took note of Riku’s lack of smile.  Thus the Nobody begun to think.  How could he remedy this?  His new friendo wasn’t happy and he needed to change that.  But how?  Something he pondered the whole way back.

Upon arriving back, Zweim waited for Sol to head in before he would himself.  However, the little Nobody looked up at Riku.  “You’re not really smiling.  Is something wrong?”  His head tilted as he stared with pleading eyes.

The elder brother glanced between them, a blank expression upon his face.  He knew all too well that Sol wouldn’t go in until Riku answered.

The noises woke Eil from his nap.  His head poked up from his claws, eyes half open as he yawned and stretched.  Shapeshifting into his human form and stretching again.  Scratching his back a bit as he smacked his lips before his glowing yellow eyes stared at the group.  Nothing said, just staring.  Mainly at the food.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku walked behind the two this time since they knew the way back. There was a small, plastic spoon with his sherbet that he ate with silently. It was still no where near the evening, only the first day they had arrived, and still Riku wasn’t sure what he was going to do about his own problems much less theirs…

I guess I’ll need to contact Sora or something… He’ll need to know about these guys. And Kairi. Probably Leon.

“…” Riku’s steps slowed as he chewed his cold treat and turned to stare up at the sky. He felt like his sadness might consume him if he thought too much about it, and then what? Would he just give up? 

For a while, the two just walked without much attention to Riku.  However Sol looked back for some reason.  Call it an old tick because usually Zweim was behind him or some sense that little kids have when someone is feeling down.  The Nobody walked back to him and grabbed his hand with a smile as he looked up at him.  “Thank you for today, it was fun.”

Zweim looked back only because Sol had let go of his hand to grab Riku’s.  No words just a dull look as he popped another ice cube into his mouth.  Yet that look was just his eyes, the tiniest of smiles crossed his lips.

Hard to give up when there was a literal ball of sunshine was happy for a day spent with you.  Even if that sunshine was a Nobody who more than likely didn’t know just how odd they were.  

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku rolled his eyes at the eldest brother and frowned so deep his cheek twitched.

“You are allowed to say if you need something. You know, before you pass out or die?” Riku said sternly to Zweim before he steered their small group into the ice cream shop. He made sure Zweim went in before him. “Stop being so self-sacrificing. You’ll just make things harder on your brothers.”

Riku immediately walked to the same girl who still stood at the counter and chatted for a bit as she grabbed a cup of ice. He also went ahead and ordered a rainbow sherbet while he was at it, in case the brothers decided not to order anything after all. He walked back to Zweim once he was done and scowled as he handed him the cup of ice.

“It’s not a big deal, it’s just a cup of ice. And it’s free. Just ask or say sure when asked or something. Or do you want to worry your brothers?”

Zweim remained silent the whole time, averting his eyes from contact with anyone.  Those moonlight irises still kept a strong gaze on the exits and others around.  Every small movement made him want to jerk Sol away.  His fingers twitched, body stiffened from every sound that even remotely struck him as a threat.  These were all habits developed over the years.

A nod was given for the ice but nothing was spoken as he grasped the cup.  Though the words got a twitch from the silverette’s brow, his brother was all he cared about.  How dare this stranger imply he wanted to do anything but keep them safe?  Yet he held his tongue and actions for the sake of Sol.

Speaking of the Nobody, he was ordering another combination of flavors.  Though they weren’t for him, it was for Eil.  Once it was paid for and handed to him, he gave a cheerful thanks before trotting back over to his brother and Riku.

The silent young man placed an ice cube in his mouth.  The coolness of it and the shop swiftly returning his strength for the moment.  He was ready to leave, to change back into his clothes, and more or less hide away for a while.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku was walking calmly behind them. They exchanged the basket for bags they could carry home after Riku paid and headed back to Riku’s townhouse apartment. 

“Should we get you more ice on the way or can you handle the walk back without help?” Riku asked as he nodded ahead toward the ice cream shop sign. 

He didn’t care either way, and might have normally stopped in without asking, but he was tired and sad and was now at the hopeless sighing stage. That had only acted as a temporary distraction.

Despite already sweat beading on his brow, Zweim shook his head no to the offer.  It wasn’t all that far.  Just across the desert sands of humid heat death.  

He sucked in breath, the tropical air filling his lungs with more heat.  Hair wet with sweat as it hung down beside his face as he pressed onwards.  Stubborn til the end as they say.

However, the Nobody holding his hand looked at Riku.  Emerald eyes glimmering a bit as he halted.  “I want to try more flavors.  Can we?”  This was clearly more geared towards getting his brother something to cool down.

This halted the silver haired Keyblader, his eyes falling on Riku for the answer.  

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku blinked at the exchange. Why wouldn’t he want to share a Papou with his brothers? It was just a legend, too–probably not real… But then it clicked. Right. The “brothers” were a heartless and a nobody, most likely the ones belonging to his real brother. Zweim may not want to risk making their existence permanent else he might lose his real brother permanently. Riku rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Oh, uh, yeah. We’re finished, actually,” Riku indicated the basket in his other hand. “We can go.”

“Then let’s go!  We can put food away then we can go down to the beach with Eil!”  Sol replied, snapping a photo of the fruit before heading back the way they came.  

Zweim had taken notice of the sheepish rubbing from Riku, yet his gaze didn’t linger for long on the other.  Shifting to watch Sol as he followed with nearly no hesitation.  Even with the heat, the ice gone now, the young man pressed on to keep close to the empty child.

After he put the cups in the bin, a hand now freely hung at his side.  Almost instantaneously, as if on instinct, his Keyblade attempted to form.  Sparkling at his fingertips yet disappeared just as swiftly as they appeared.  

His brow quirked, as he looked at his hand for a moment.  Expression going back to neutral as Sol came back to grab his hand.  Which he let happen, yet paused to see if Riku was still with them.  After all, it was his house they had to go to.  Eyes that held no emotion, just frozen mirrors fogged up with frost.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

“Don’t make me come over thar and hog-tie ya both!”

That just made the two laugh harder.  Their laughs were oddly harmonious.  All the while, Zweim was trying not to die from suppressing laughter and hiding a smirk.

[glitchy-aus]

Sol and Eil just start snickering while their brother hides a smirk.

[glitchy-aus]

Nightfallen Discovery

Starter for @darknesstorn​ 

The night air was cool.  Much cooler than the tropical sun that baked the sands in the day.  The waves crashing on the shore as the moon lit the area in its glow.

By now, most others were sleeping.  Things should’ve been quiet in the peaceful night.  Yet down at the water’s edge, two children played in inland waves.  No supervision was in sight.

Yet it was there.  Just in the shadows of a nearby tree.  Silver eyes scanning the area ever so often.  Ready to jump into action at the slightest threat.

Well perceived threat.

Meanwhile, the two kids, near identical twins, happily splashed and laughed in the gentle waves.  None prepared for what was to come.

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

“Ha! Yeah, it’s covered in spines and thorns. But the fruit inside is very sweet and tart, and it goes great with a number of dishes,” Riku smiled as he spoke. “You can cook it, too. I’ll show you how to handle pineapples and coconuts when we get back. Do you guys see anything else interesting you might want to take home? How about a Papou? I can’t eat it with you, but since you guys are brothers it’s not a big deal if you three ate it.”

Riku indicated a yellow, star shaped fruit being sold at a stand. 

“Papou legend states that whom so ever shares a papou will have their destiny intertwined with that person forever. They’re kind of rare on the islands so we rely on papou tree breeders most of the time.”

Before Sol could grab a Papou, Zweim stopped him.  “Never mess with Fate.”  The sternness, the cold in the tone masked an underlying sadness.

“Oh come on, Big bro!  I bet they’re good!”  Sol whined.

“No.”

“But!”

“No.”

The child pouted, crossing his arms with the coconut still in them.  Emerald eyes staring up at him for a moment then, he sighed.  “Fiiiine.”  Still the Nobody wanted it.  Wanted it to share with his brothers.  He wanted to have their destinies intertwined forever.

Yet Sol couldn’t possibly know that his brother desired it as well but just not like they were.  His body visibly stiffened, uncomfortable as his paranoia began to kick back in.  Those silver eyes looking around as he placed more ice into his mouth to chew on.  Gently, he pulled Sol closer.

“We only have a few more things to get right?  I don’t want Eil feeling left out!”  Sol chirped, bouncing back to his jovial self in a snap.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

They walked the last stretch of the road until they were well into The Market. There were stands with various fruits, different kinds of bread, trinkets, supplies for hiking or camping, meats, drinks, juiced vegetables… It was a strange mix of modern marketing and traditional sales, but it blended oddly well.  Riku grabbed a basket (that he would be expected to return before leaving) and began to grab enough food to last for a couple of days; some fish, ham, bananas, kiwis, pineapple, an assortment of vegetables (the broccoli was huge; bigger than Sol’s head), and he even bought three tiny trinkets for the newbies. One was meant for Eil when they got back.

Sol didn’t wander far from the two, merely walking ahead.  Occasionally, he’d stop to take pictures of all the sights he could see.

Zweim only lingered for a moment when he seen a pineapple.  Eyebrow quirked he tried to pick it up only to get pricked, jerking his hand away and putting a finger in his mouth to suckle on it.  Though he was tempted to freeze the fruit so it would never have the chance to harm those he held dear, the young man restrained himself.

Still, the sudden movement caught the eye of the Nobody, who bounded up to his brother.  “You okay?”

Only a nod would be given in response.  He was fine, just a small prick.

Sol turned to look at Riku.  “He’s okay, just pricked on the prickly apple.”  That’s when he noticed the trinket.  “Ooh pretty!”

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

Riku chuckled as Sol drank too fast. It reminded him a lot of a certain brunette when they were kids (and teens and then adults, because the idiot never could learn) and before he could consider moving again he blinked in surprise as Zweim immediately jumped to his brother and knew what to do.

It was an oddly adorable moment between brothers and it brought a tiny smile to Riku’s face. The sadness inside him still felt like a heavy weight dragging him down and threatening to pull him through a dark hole forever, but for a tiny moment it lessened. It was still crazy to think that anyone thought this guy was a threat (well, he was… but not because he meant to be).

This guys is about as evil as a teddy bear.

Riku sipped his drink and nodded back. He slurped up the last dregs and then tossed it in a nearby public garbage can.

“Let’s go shopping, then.”

“Okay!”

Sol put his now empty cup into the public bin as well.  His hands kept on the coconut now that he was able to focus on less things.  Well one less thing.  Everything and everyone around him was something new to him.  Something he wanted a picture of.  So he’d shift the coconut under and arm to take one ever so often.  “I’m gonna need to make another scrapbook just for Destiny Island!”  He cheerily snickered as he put the newest pictures in his bookbag.

Zweim would gently push him forward, a simple nudge to get him going.  Sipping the remains of his shake, even getting the small minty bits at the bottom before he simply put the ice cup in it and carried it around like that.  Now he would rely on the ice to keep cool for now.  

If needed, he’d refreeze melted ice with a small calculated Blizzard on the cup.  Course he’d do it away from people.  He wasn’t stupid.  Maybe a little crazy but he wasn’t stupid.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed

[glitchy-aus]

riku-stonebriar‌:

“It’s not about strength. It’s about not having three hands,” Riku replied, but let the comment go. If Zweim wasn’t struggling with an umbrella and two large cups, then he wasn’t struggling with an umbrella and two large cups. They were Styrofoam so his concern was more about accidentally breaking them while trying to carry all that.

“Flour can be heavy even in small bags. That’s still impressive,” Riku meant his words, even though even large bags of flour had never been much of an issue for him either, but he could recall in his mind’s eye his two best friends having issues carrying large, heavy bags after grocery shopping together.

The silverette sighed and drank more of his juice and soda.

“… Oh, and when we get there we can get a basket. Sol can hang on to the coconut or we can toss it in, whichever.”

“Sometimes it’s like he does though!  He can really multitask when he wants to!”  Sol cheerily responded as he trotted beside them.

Zweim shrugged again.  “Adrenaline does things.”  He muttered, sipping his shake a bit more as he adjusted his hold on the three items in hand.  At least the ice and shake were helping.  Got his mind off a few stressors.  One being the outfit he was in.  

However, Sol was struggling to focus on a few things.  One being that he had a shake to finish up.  A cold treat.  So like most kids, he decided to drink it down as fast as he could so he had one less thing to worry about.  Thus getting a brain freeze.  “Owie!” He cried out, nearly dropping both the coconut and the cup as he went to grab his head.

Without a thought, Zweim gently crouched down to Sol’s level.  “Stay still.”  His quiet voice softly whispered as he sat down the cup of ice.  He put a finger in the center of the child Nobody’s forehead.  No words. Just his index finger on the other’s forehead.

“What are you doing?”

“Banishing evil pain spirits.”

Sol blinked, the pain was gone.  Mainly because he was distracted by the finger to his forehead and what Zweim had just said.  Which was a lie, he was just distracting Sol long enough for the pain to pass on its own.  This caused the Nobody’s eyes to light up when the pain was in fact gone as if his brother had just performed some kind of ancient magic.

Standing back up after grabbing the ice cup, Zweim looked at Riku as if to say that they were good to go.

Glitchy-AU’s || The After After Math || Closed