The Hero and the Rabbit (Aric or ask)

Sora really didn't know what he was doing, wandering around through the worlds like this when he needed to be helping Kairi and Riku renovate the Old Mansion ...

But one afternoon away couldn't hurt ...

And he knew they'd find something ELSE to do to occupy their time while he was away and they had the house to themselves. They tried to keep some things from being obvious or hurtful, but he still suspected that he knew what they'd be doing ... and he cared for both of them too much to try to keep them from being happy.

As long as the three of them were together, that was all that mattered to Sora, or so he reminded himself.

If that meant that he'd always be the "best friend" to the two people he loved more than his own life ... then so be it. This way Kairi could be happy and still be herself and he'd rather lose his heart again then let her soul die in trying to be exactly what her mother expected of her.

So Sora was wandering through the forest in the Enchanted Dominion, not really paying attention to where he was going, just ... seeing what there was to see.

Aric missed the smell of the woods and all the creatures that reside in such places. he knew it wasn't like the forests of Wonderland but this was as close as he would get to home until either the queen died or he found a way to go back to the court. he was wearing a black vest with red trim and a red button up shirt. he was till in rather casual wear as he had converse and black jeans. his tophat of red seemed to be falling off as he rested aganist a tree. he had brought a small tea set with him seeming that he was getting ready for a picnic. when he saw a boy of chocolate hair begin to appear into view a grin of malice laced his lips for a moment before setting his cup down and calling out to him.
" Hello there, care to join me for tea?"
this would seem out of place to most but in wonderland. it was rude not to let strangers join you in tea.

Sora ... now Sora had been to Wonderland and he'd heard about the whole invite-people-to-tea thing, but he'd also seen one of the Princesses of Heart condemned to death in a puppet trial by a REALLY crazy woman only to have the Princess, Alice was her name if he remembered correctly, vanish without a trace.

The only woman he'd ever seen who could have beat that Queen for sheer insanity was Kairi's mother, and if Riku hadn't pushed her through a Corridor into someplace wet and probably dangerous, Sora'd have taught her the meaning of "hit something with a keyblade until it gets better".

Still, the boy looked friendly enough, and Sora was rather quick to befriend people anyway.

He grinned and walked over. "Sure, I'll join ya." He sat down nearby and looked at the young man he hoped would soon be a new friend. "I'm Sora. What's your name?"

He held a Cheshire smile on his lips as he began to pour the boy, apparently sora, a cup of Earl grey in a somewhat distorted shaped tea cup. He handed it off to sora in a friendly manner as he started his own introduction.
"The name's Aric McTwisp. So what brings a bright thing like you here?"
His expression was sweet in nature as he sipped his tea. He then as if he was a magician had a plate of scones appear in hi free hand. He then held it out to sora as it wasgood behavior or the guest to eat first.

Sora grinned as he accepted the cup and took a drink. At the rabbit-boy's question, he nodded. "Well, Aric, I'm just looking around and seeing stuff. It's fun to see different places just to be able to see them."

Especially as both his previous adventures (that were actually his and not those of one of the entities that had been created from him) had involved variations on Save The Worlds.

He wasn't certain that he wanted to admit, though, that he was staying away from home for an afternoon so he wouldn't have to be tempted by jealousy for EITHER of his two best friends.

When Aric offered the plate, Sora fearlessly accepted one and began eating with his tea. Teenage boys DON'T turn down food. Not unless there's something SERIOUSLY wrong somewhere.

He nodded his head in agreement with Sora as he helped himself to a scone. As he bit into one could see it was a flavor only expected from a rabbit. It had bits of carrot cake mixed inside the creamcheese frosting filling. He hoped even a young boy like sora could appreciate wonderland foods. He then dwelled on his own home. He wondered if this boy had traveled as much as he has and asked of his home.
"Have you ever been to Wonderland? If so, how are things fairing there?"

Sora nodded.

"Yeah, I've been there once." He shrugged. "It's been a few years, but when I was there . . . well, there was this Queen who was trying to get the Princess of Heart killed and that's not a good thing at all 'cause Alice was needed to keep Kingdom Hearts safe. I haven't been back since then, though."

He tilted his head in slight confusion. "If you're from Wonderland, why aren't you there anymore?"

It took him a moment to realize how that question could sound, after all he was from Destiny Islands and he wasn't there anymore. His home was Twilight Town, with Kairi and Riku. Things happen.

His cup clattered on it's saucer for a moment as anger came over him at what the queen did to Wonderland's prized being. He quickly regained calm as he began to eat another scone. He let out some what of a sigh as the boy asked of him not being inhis own world. He could have painted an elaborate talewith words but was still aggravated at the queen's actions.
"I was at one point part of the Court of Hearts serving the queen as her Page. My whole family has served as Pages to the queen's but this queen, she wasn't as the others. She seemed to have a thing with beheading people for the slightest of actions. just as what you saw her do to our beloved Alice. I was 'beheaded' for being late to a trial of a duchess when I was early to get the queen's paper. I survived only with a scar. Now I reside in Hallow Bastion until she dies or i die. Though neither quill be soon sadly. We age ever so slow."
He drank more of his tea as just the mention of his near beheading made his scar itch. He then sighed and spoke up once more with an annoyed expression.
"I can bet she replaced me with an actual rabbit with no sense of time what so ever."
He huffed at this, making his bunny ears twitch in annoyance. What he wouldn't give to wrap his fingers around that cow's neck and choke her.

Sora tilted his head. "Oh, Alice is safe. She was kidnapped by Heartless, though, because they were trying to get all the Princesses of Heart so this guy who called himself Ansem, but he wasn't Ansem really, could break through and control Kingdom Hearts which is the source of all Light in the worlds and it all kinda makes my head spin a little bit. One of my two best friends is one of the Princesses of Heart."

He thought a bit and then frowned. "I haven't actually been back there since then, so things might have changed, what with Alice being freed, but I don't know. I'll have to talk to Kairi and Riku about going and seeing the place, once we've got things cleaned up in Twilight Town."

He grinned, "but yeah, if you were the one with the pocketwatch, then yeah, she got a White Rabbit who was constantly worrying about being late." He could still hear the voice of the Rabbit singing in the back of his head.

"I'm Late, I'm Late, for a very Important Date! No time to say hello, goodbye, I'm Late, I'm Late, I'm Late, I'm Late!"

He munched on another scone and looked curiously at the boy. "So you live in Hollow Bastion? I've been there a couple of times. It's called Radiant Garden again, like it was before the Heartless took over."

He'd had to fight Riku there. He'd sacrificed his Heart there to restore Kairi. His Nobody, and hers, had been born there.

He looked at the scones, realizing that he was on his third one ... or was it his fourth? "Ya know, these things are pretty good."

He smiled as tohide his shock that is boy as childish as he seemed,was the one to restore order to light and keep the Pure Hearts safe. He then quirked a brow at him before a somewhat dark smile creeped over his face. He then leaned foreword some as he spoke, givin hi word an heir of strangeness.
"Twilight town you say? Do you ever hear the sound of a bird, or possibly a lion's roar from the woods? I have friends that live like birds in the trees. maloGriffs is the name of their race. Wings and feet of hostile birds with the tail of a mighty lion. Human as they appear they can take the shape of great winged felines that can catch even the quickest of foes. The woman stands like an amazon towering over many as the brother is small and meek for his race. Look for wings like and eagles or that of a dove if you hear the sound of flying. They can be frightening at first but can become wonderful allies if one is in a pinch. If you come across then or go in search of the nest, tell the boy you know me and he won't come to harm you. Come across his sister without him near and tread lightly."
He then gave a softer smile and mussed Sora's hair, amazed the hair wasn't smothered in some sort of product. He then thought of what the boy said about the scones. He then picked up another from what seemed to be an endless plate of them and spoke with much more cheer in his voice.
"Well I wasn't going to let a good carrot cake go to waste as it started to stale so I learned how to make these.*takes a bite of scone*took me 50 years to perfect this rescipe. More tea Sora?"
He was calmly pouring himself another cup as he soon expected a comment on his age as he just now exposed it.

Sora listened to the description with rapidly widening eyes. "Wow. I'll have to tell Kairi and Riku about them. We're gonna live in the Old Mansion outside of town 'cause we're not gonna let Kairi's mom hit her again. Once was too much. And 'sides, I always wanted to see places with my friends and this way we'll be able to."

When Aric reached out and messed up his hair, though, Sora felt something distinctly odd squeeze his stomach. That was the sort of thing that Riku always did to him and it usually made him grumble and complain about not being a little kid anymore … but it was always Riku doing it.

For someone else, a boy who wasn't Riku, to do something like that … it made Sora feel distinctly odd and he didn't understand the feeling enough to know if it was something good or bad.

In fact, he was so distracted by the action and his own reaction that he completely missed the reference to age in Aric's comment about the scones. He was uncharacteristically silent and looked almost like he was blushing.

Aric gave the boy a puzzled look as he seemed to freeze up after having his hair tossled. He gave a dark smirk as he decided to tease the child some. He got up in his face and with a concerned tone spoke softly.
"Is there something wrong Sora? Most humans don't sudden become shell shocked and blush for no particular reason."
He sounded like a caring friend but ther was somewhat of a trap within to ensnare the boy to his liking. His ears twitched some as he kept and intense gaze, hoping to draw out more color to his face.

Sora actually blushed brighter as he realized what he was doing, and that surprised him.

"I just . . . Riku does that sometimes. It was just odd that you'd do the same thing that he does."

That and the way Aric had his face so very close to his own made his heart squeeze in a way to match the way his stomach was still doing. In fact, it felt almost like the way he felt whenever Kairi'd hug him, or Riku'd …

In a moment his mind made an uncharacteristic leap of understanding and his face turned intensely red. It just couldn't be possible … could it?

Sora knew about some of his own oddities, it was why he chose to stay away from the Mansion whenever he thought that Kairi and Riku needed time to themselves … he didn't want to risk the friendship that meant so much to him with wishing for something more …

But that didn't mean that he didn't want more, or that he wanted it with both of them.

He actually scooted backwards a bit, away from Aric's face, but hopefully not enough to seem like he was being rude or anything. It just made him feel very … awkward.

A grin crept across his lipsat the boy's reaction. He found the new, deeper shade on his cheeks apealing. He backed away from the kid but for some ungoddly reason he lifted one of his slender hands and held it against Sora's blushing face. The grin became slightly wider it that was even possible as he made the boy look him directly into his piercing orbs. He could see the confusion and realizations in his eyes, almost forcing him to revert to a calm, concerned smile.
"You're having feelings you're not familiar with aren't you? That boy you mentioned. He won't return your feelings will he?"
He actually felt sorry for him and his friend. A love in such a form should nit remain hidden but out in the open. He then pulled his hand away hoping it would help supress his want of hugging the boy.

Sora blushed a deeper shade of red as Aric put his hand against his face. It reminded him of the way Riku would sometimes touch Kairi … and he wanted so very much to feel that from Riku, too.

But he could never say anything. If either of them thought that he felt that way, about either of them much less that he felt it about BOTH … he'd lose his friends or they'd lose each other and he'd rather cut his Heart out again than let that happen.

"R-riku's with Kairi. They love each other. I'm not … I'm their friend and I don't wanna hurt either of them."

He managed to breathe a little easier when Aric pulled his hand away, but he was still blushing furiously.

"I-it's okay, though," he said, trying to sound lighthearted and upbeat, "all three of us are friends and we'll always be friends and that's really what's important in life."

Aric couldn't help to frown at the tale being told to him even if the quiver inhis voice was somewhat cute. A small swell of anger filled his chest knowing this sweet boy was going to have to suffer from having no love returned in the way he wants to be loved by the ones most important to him. Without any warning, he finally went with his urge and pulled sora into a tender hug. He made sure the boy didn't have to look at his face as he did this so he wouldn't go any further than something as innocent as a hug. He kept his words soft as he spoke of what he saw of this.
"Such a beautiful creature shouldn't have to suffer the pains of a love never returned. Your gentle heart should be lavished, not be treated as a simple friendship empty of the feelings you crave. Such sadness..."
He ended up resting his head atop Sora's as to keep his eyes off his face. He didn't want to do something to this sweet creature that he would regret.

Sora was confused.

He was happy being Kairi and Riku's friend. He knew he was. Yeah, he wanted more and he could never, EVER say so to either of them, but it was okay.

So why did his heart squeeze in pain suddenly? Especially when Aric suddenly pulled him into a tight hug that pressed Sora's ear against his chest so he could hear the wererabbit's heartbeat.

He thought that there was some miscommunication somewhere, so he tried to explain. "They're happy together, though, and I want them, both of them, to be happy. And I can't tell Kairi how I feel, she needs Riku, she said so. Riku and I have been friends our whole lives, and I know that he needs her."

He just didn't understand why Aric would claim that he was sad … when he knew that he was happy for them.

Or at least, he wanted to be.

For the moment, though, it was pleasant to be held this way, even if it did make him even more confused.

He listened but ended up holding him tighter. One could have sworn he developed an admiration for the boy's angelic heart. He could feel the heat coming off the boy and seemed to cuddle him liking the the warmth.
"Though out the century I've never have I met such a selfless creature. So willing to subside his emotions for the ones he loves. It saddens me so with your soul so willing to suffer while finding joy in seeing others happy."
He didn't want to let go of him, as if everything would unravel like his place in wonderland. His scar began to ache as did the mark of the Court on his chest. He saw comfort in Sora and he couldn't figure out why. He pulled one of his hands from around sora to lace his fingers though his hair. He had no real grip at the moment so the boy was still able to move if he wanted to.

Sora was still confused.

Aric was saying things about him that just didn't seem like they really described him … and he still held him against his chest where he could hear Aric's heartbeat against his ear and he didn't know what to think about it.

Riku'd never held him like this. Kairi'd hugged him and he'd wanted to hold her like this. He'd seen Riku holding Kairi, though, and he'd wondered …

He liked being held like this.

He just didn't know what to think because it was Aric holding him and not Riku or Kairi. He sighed, relaxing slightly in Aric's embrace. "I'm not … I'm not anything special."

He let his eyes close briefly, enjoying the feeling of arms around him, strong and masculine. He knew that this would eventually end, that he would go back to Twilight Town and his friends, but he wanted to enjoy it for a little bit longer.

Icy eyes shot open at this statement of sora's. How could he NOT be something special with a heart like his. He wanted to look the boy right in the eye and tell him such was not true. He knew though if he did he would go on impulse to lavish Sora the only way he knew, and that could end horribly for both of them. He and least was able to look down at him though not seeing his face as he spoke.
"Oh but you are Sora. You hold a strength and beauty very few have these days. Your heart has darkness but you shine just as a princess of heart does. I have done many a horrid deed while you protected innocence from evil. It takes a special being with a special heart to be able to do so. Never doubt yourself in being nothingwlse."
He could and couldn't believe what he was saying. This was a human he was swooning over and it was a bright hearted one no less! He wouldn't let himself be confused though as he kept his eyes on his head, petting the chocolate locks softly with delicate movements.

Sora blushed at the praise. He could never be as bright as Kairi was. He just … he couldn't.

He sighed. "Riku did things too. He tried to kill me because I was carrying Kairi's Heart and without it she was like a doll that breathed. But Maleficent had lied to him, said things that weren't true and made him believe that we were enemies. But he didn't really mean it, he just thought that it was the only way to bring Kairi back."

He kept his eyes closed, listening to Aric's heartbeat. "What you've done in the past doesn't mean that you can't do different things in the future. You can protect people, too, if you want to."

He smiled softly, "I think you're nice."

He needed to do something, before something happened, but he didn't know exactly what to do, or what he was worried about.

He suddenly placed more grip around sora's waist in a protective manner.He was practically used as a transfer vessel for a princess of heart and was not rewarded with a love os his own? He would have filled with fury if he hadn't heard thet boy's words on being good. It made him give a small laugh at the idea. If this boy only knew wha he had done to so many innocent lives.
"I've done many a deed sora when i was your age. That was when I was marked as the queen's page with the crest of Heart court on my chest. I still have that mark and it is a cursed one. It makes one ac on the darkest of impulses. So dark you are will to harm the most innocet to have that dewice fulfilled."

Sora didn't know what came over him. He knew that he didn't dare let Aric near Kairi, not if there was the least chance that he'd hurt her, but he also knew that Darkness … wasn't always something to be scared of. Not that he wasn't going to be cautious.

He opened his eyes, certain that he was going to have to say or do something, and he didn't want to pull away from Aric … but he had to make sure he understood what Sora was trying to tell him. He pulled back just enough so that he could look up and meet Aric's eyes, to be certain that he was hearing the words.

"Riku … Riku tried to kill me, his best friend, because of what the Darkness was doing to him. He was possessed and controlled by Xehanort's Heartless and when I finally found him again I didn't even know it was him without Kairi's help. He wasn't going to let me find him because of what he'd done."

Sora shivered slightly. If Kairi hadn't been there, if he hadn't been so reluctantly grateful for the black-robed man's help in protecting her that he had chosen not to attack what looked to be an Organization member … things could have gone so wrong.

"You can use what you are to do what you want to do. You can protect people if that's what you want to do. I know you can. Just like Riku helped me, even when I didn't know that it was him."

When sora began to look up he instantly shut his eyes out of the fear that his dark want would take over. He could feel the bright blue eyes on him and it made the cursed crest exlerate his heart beat. He somehow was able to keep a calm appearance as he listened to Sora explain what his friend had done. It made him hang his head in shame at this, knowing full well how Riku must gave felt. The only difference is that he did kill his only friend in wonderland as a part of deep wants to bs just like him and the order of the queen. He let a single tear slip down his face but that was all that was there to break his calmed expression.
"I understand your friend's shame, but unlike him I was successful. I ended my best friend's life on an order from the queen and my desire filled heart. I envied the man but I...I had no control then whatsoever. Now I can fight it back but one can still tell I'm a creature that survives off the desires of my darkness and of others."
He opened his eyes just barely to see the boy's charming face but snapped them shirt once more as his heart was squeezed painfully by the mark crying'fall to your desire!'in his mind. He did his best to remain perfectly still but couldn't help taking his hand from Sora's hair and placing it on his chest where the mark was ripping him apart from the inside out.

Sora didn't understand why Aric was keeping his eyes so tightly shut, almost like there was something he was afraid of. He didn't want to think about what could have happened to the worlds if Riku had actually …

He shook himself slightly. There wasn't any use in worrying about it. It hadn't happened and now they were friends again, and he was glad for that.

He watched as Aric put his hand against his chest, like there was something hurting there and he didn't know what to do. He wanted to reach out and calm that pain… but he didn't know if he should…

Kairi and Riku had each other to hold at night and Sora was happy for them, happy for the joy they'd found with each other, even if it meant that he could only watch from a distance. He loved them both so much …

He wanted to stay here and he wanted to run back to Twilight Town to his friends.

So he did something completely unexpected.

He tilted his head to the side. "Are you okay? You look like you're hurting. Why won't you look at me? Is there something on my face?"