afterthought | I'm in love with the shape of you; We push and pull like a magnet do

I'm in love with the shape of you; We push and pull like a magnet do

[So this was the Wilde, huh? Riku's been studying some of the maps and researching the areas surrounding the city as a way to get familiar with this world. It's given him something to do, and since he can't study half of the material in the libraries and areas of the Coven (that is, if they'll even let him in) and has been dealing with the affects this world has been having on his body, it's also been a welcome distraction. Something to get through the pain and the new urges coursing through his being.

And above all, he's just been curious. Plain and simple. A part of it, he attributes to restlessness. After all, when's the last time he's spent more than a month on one single world? The past few years, he's been going from place to place, combating Heartless, the battles against Xehanort and checking in on the balance of the worlds, and of course his friends. Being in one spot suddenly felt confining.

So coming out here into the Wilde and getting to stretch his new legs and senses felt like a welcome reprieve. And coming out with Sora felt even better. Despite all the worlds and adventures they've had, how many have they been able to do together? Not many, so taking on this quest seemed like a grand opportunity. It didn't even seem all that complicated compared to what they've been through. Find a manticore and bring back a sample of it's venom. Simple enough, right?

Except finding the damned creature was the main challenge. Riku tried to get as much information from the apothecary owner as possible, even right down to the scent of the beast. But there wasn't too much to go on. His nose hasn't been able to catch the acrid and decayed smell that was described to him so far.

He huffs, long and thick snow leopard tail swaying with mild annoyance, and ears folding back. It's still relatively early in their search, but after finding all the warnings about the Wilde and the infections, he doesn't want to chance that any harm comes to Sora, especially after just finding him again. Plus, if they lose daylight (and Riku's guessing they probably will soon)...

Well, he doesn't quite want to think about that just yet. He needs to keep Sora safe.

He turns to his partner, ears relaxing.]

You feeling okay?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[They're not new to travelling to strange worlds and partaking in odd adventures at every turn. Being in this world isn't much different aside from the fact that their bodies have changed in ways he's not quite used to. The growing pains are the worst. Sora's ears having changed to two long rabbit-like ones on top of his head, his legs changing into more powerful (and furry) ones and the new sharp little claws on his hands. The only thing that made the changes a little more bearable was the magic that linked him, Riku and Kairi too. Kairi's magic is a blessing, really.

But with just Riku for the moment Sora glances over his shoulder at him and smiles. His nose twitches as he tries to detect any sign of the creature they're hunting. But all he can smell is grass and clover. Yum.]

Hmmhm, just a little hungry I guess.

[Sora stands, stretching his arms high above his head. His new clothing moving with the stretch to reveal a little of his fur across his tummy.]

I hope we can find this thing soon so we can catch some lunch.

[He gives Sora a somewhat flat look before chuckling, planting a furry paw-like hand on his hip. As he strides a little passed the Puca, his lengthy tail gently grazes that exposed tummy to tickle it.]

Annnnnd, your head's in your stomach. Why am I not surprised.

[Though, food is on his mind a little bit. He's packed some rations for them, carrots and greens for Sora and some dried fish for himself, but not enough if they're out here for days hunting. He's not sure the plant life out here would be safe for consumption, and while he can hunt for himself, he'd rather not come to that.

That was something he had problems with. The physical changes were painful, that's for sure. Growing a tail, your ears changing completely, and his feet and hands changing to something more feline... all was uncomfortable for the both of them, with their bond sharing their distress and discomfort. But the mental changes? The naps during the day? Teasing material. The full moons forcing him to sequester himself away so that he doesn't accidentally hurt the others or pick territorial fights with the dogs? Necessary, though usually ends with him seeking out Sora and Kairi for some affectionate pets in the end.

The hunting though... oh boy. Riku's felt he's struggled with that from time to time. It gets worse with the full moon and he's more than aware that hunting is unnecessary, but it still unnerves him.

He rubs the back of his neck, tail swaying thoughtfully.]

Can you last a little longer without nibbling on something? I just want to try and pick up the scent some more...

[Still teasing a little. He swears Sora's constantly hungry since coming to this world.]

[Sora shivers and lets out a ticklish laugh when that fluffy tail brushes against his exposed tummy. He quickly pulls down the fabric of his thick shirt and blushes as his long ears twitch and listen.

Riku being a cat really does have its ups and downs. For one, Riku is really fluffy and soft and Sora likes the feel of that tail brushing up against him. But a downside is that Riku really is a cat and while he knows Riku would never hurt him Sora's new natural rabbit-like instincts have him a little jumpy around Riku. Please don't bite him one day, okay?

Nonetheless, Sora hops closer to Riku and pokes him in the side if only to annoy him a little bit.]

Okay, fine! Get sniffing then, kitty!

[He looks smug as he smiles.]

I hope we don't have to stay out here overnight, though.

[Sora's been having growing pains at night...]

[He'd rather chomp down on his own tail than let his new instincts harm Sora.

He lightly laughs at his friends reaction, newly elongated canines showing in his smile. Sora's changes were cute in his opinion, though Riku was confident the Puca would turn into a lion again. Or maybe even a dragon. Despite everything that's happened back home, everything that they've been though, he still holds Sora in the highest regard.

No one was more powerful or could make miracles happen like Sora...

But a rabbit? It was cute. His long ears looked so velvety and soft, and Sora's fur looked different too. Equally soft but much shorter and probably easier to manage than Riku's paler, longer and thicker texture. He doubts Sora wakes up and finds shed fur in his bed in the morning.

The poke elicits a rather rough feline noise out of Riku, ears folding back for a mere moment. He's not really annoyed, but his furry sides and belly have started to feel more sensitive as the changes have set in.

He flushes a little at his own reaction, the red in his cheeks doing nothing to hide some of the darker rosettes that were forming under his eyes. Skin or fur, it didn't seem to matter where the spots were. Every day there was a new one blooming on his body somewhere.

But also, being called kitty makes him feel a little self-conscious. He's never had a problem with "Monster" at least.]

How did I get stuck with such a bossy bunny, sheesh. Put those giant ears of yours to work, lazy butt. [Lightly shoving Sora in the shoulder as he swats down.

Hmmm, there might be something up ahead...]

Yeah... [It's not a full moon tonight, thank the Light. He doesn't want Sora to be all alone when he's not quite in the right state of mind.] ...Hopefully, we won't. But we need to keep moving, or we'll run out of daylight.

[He's been vaguely aware of Sora's condition during the night, with thanks to their Bond. At least Kairi might be able to ease any pain. But Riku's absolutely unable to do anything to relieve it, and it pains him so much.]

[Sora lets out a playful puff of laughter at all of Riku's animated reactions. He was pretty good at reading Riku's reactions to things before but it's so much easier to note these little things now that Riku is part cat. These little movements happen now like Riku's ears flickering or his tail swishing or the telltale way his cheeks change colour. Sora thought that Riku looked good before but now that he's been given all these cat-like traits Sora can't help but like teasing and tickling him, even more, these days.]

I dunno, you're the one that agreed to bonding with me. So now you're stuck with me for a while. And that means I'm the boss.

[A bond he wouldn't trade for the world. And despite his words, he'd never actually be bossy. Which he proves with the way his long soft ears twitch as Sora listens for noises in the distance.]

There's a deer drinking from the river just up ahead. And ... [...Hmmm.] There's a quiet patch where all the birds have left just that way. Something must of scared them away.

[Sora points. That's a good hint, right? Creatures scare innocent birds away.]

[His blush only deepens as his ears flatten just a little in embarrassment. Sora's always been able to read him, but these physical changes have really made it far too easy for everyone to read him. Not to mention those new instincts and quirks being so close to the surface, he can't control himself entirely.

Like how he kept chasing after a light on the wall. How embarrassing. What did he do to deserve becoming a perfect target like this?]

And I've been regretting every minute of it. [It's so far from the truth, but Riku plays it up with a sigh and an eye roll. Finding Sora here on this world nearly gave him a literal heart attack, and though he still teases and has fun, there's barely any bite to his words.

He's missed Sora far too much over the past year...

Riku stays low to the ground, picking up on the deer Sora mentioned. There were a few rabbits, a fox, and something... vaguely feline? It almost matches the description he's been given but it's barely something he can track from this spot.

His ears swivel, catching the scared and pissed off birds in the distance. Sora's hearing is far better than his, but combined with the scent...]

Yeah. Something big. [He sits upright while still swatting, nodding to Sora.] There's a scent too, but I think it's old. Can't track it from here.

[Getting to his feet, he plants a hand on Sora's head, giving the Puca a gentle ruffle while being careful around his ears. Poor Sora lost some height and now it's so much easier to give him noogies.]

Guess I'm following your lead then.

[The ruffle of fingers in his hair makes him look up at Riku with a soft lopsided smile. There's a certain sort of magic in Sora's fur that when people touch or ruffle his hair or his fur they tend to get a tingle of it on their skin. It's a Puca's minor luck magic so it might leave Riku's fingers tingling with the gentle wash of luck on his fingertips.

So it's off towards their lead they go. Sora nods and heads off in the direction that they both detect the off shift in the forest sounds. The forest itself is rather quiet in general and as they go Sora's nose does burn with the smell of cwyld in the air here and there.]

If we get closer do you think you'll be able to get a trail?

[Sora's nose isn't as strong as a feline turnskin like Riku, after all.]

[At least one of them has some sort of magic on their side. Being completely stripped of the powers that became so familiar to them suddenly makes him feel powerless. There's strengths to the transformations, but it's hardly the same as the magic of the Keyblade.

They're going to need all the luck they can get with this job.

Riku follows close behind, ears swiveling behind them every few moments. Just to be sure that something wasn't going to stalk them through the forest. Like Sora, his nose itches with the burning cwyld, particularly when they get a little too close to an infected plant or tree. He rubs at it a few times as him that would get the scent out of his nose.]

Yeah. Should be able to. It's already getting stronger and fresher. So we're going in the right direction. [His nose wasn't as good as a dog's, but it would be good enough for them.

There's a deer that zips past them in the opposite direction, catching Riku's eyes and clearly distressed.]

...Definitelt the right direction.

[Sora nearly sneezes but he holds the sneeze inside with the back of his gloved hand. He makes a bit of a huffing sound but it's just to get the burning smell of cwyld out of his sensitive nose. Once Riku detects the correct trail to take Sora moves and feels a little uneasy.]

Why does cwyld have to burn my nose so much?

[Complaining aside Sora can feel his nerves getting tighter. Whatever creature is hunting along this way and infecting this part of the woods with the infection is very, very strong.]

Riku, let's stick close together.

[And then there's a tremble in the ground.]

[Riku takes the lead, stepping in front of Sora with his back hunched. Sora's speedy, but Riku refuses to take any chances.

His ears move as he hears that huffing before he turns to face his friend with an apologetic smile. He gets it. It's like a strong irritant, and only getting stronger as they go.]

Just what we get for being monsters, I guess. We can find some nice candles once when we get home.

[The bond between them catches onto the Puca's nerves, making the fur on the back of his neck stand on end. An instinctive reaction. Its ebbing away at him, but if anything, it raises his desire to keep Sora safe. Hopefully some of that transfers over.]

Yeah. [His tail starts swishing erratically.] Don't worry, Sora. I'll keep you safe.

[There's more than one tremble, and whatever it is, it's coming closer. Riku moves to cover Sora, a growl growing in his throat.]

[Sora's ears twitch. There's a flicker of affection across their bond when Riku says he'll protect him because it makes Sora's nerve ease slightly. He might have been brave before but as a puca his nerves have become a lot jumpier with time. Rabbits are primarily prey-animals and snacks for creatures higher on the food chain after all. And that's why Sora's breezy affection for Riku can be felt across their bond. Nothing like being a rabbit with a cat for a protector.

But that doesn't mean Sora can't fight. He won't back down either and he'll do his part to fight and protect as well.

The rumbling continues and soon the sickening smell of dark magic gets worse. Black sludge starts to seep across what's left of the ground, eating at the tree trunks like acid. Then something growls loudly and Sora can hear the swishing of a massive tail.]

It's there! We better get it first before it gets us! Let's get the jump on it!

[The little spark of affection only burns his protective drive even more. Under different circumstances, Riku would feel likewise, his own little trail of affection being transferred over. But now isn't the time, and he needs to be strong for Sora.

The thick scent and sight of the decay creeping up the trees illicit a hiss out of Riku, his ears pinning back. They're going to have to be careful not to get infected from the Cwyld. Without a healer with them, they'll have to avoid any severe injuries at all costs.

Not that Riku is thinking precisely about that at the moment. As cautious and careful and prepared as he is, the monster instincts are already bleeding through again. A threat is coming and his packmate could be in trouble. His own growl grows in tandem with the creature's, and his claws and fangs extend and lengthen, tail thrashing about.]

Yeah. [Riku's already moving forward, darting and weaving past the last few trees as fast (and somehow just as quietly) as his paws will let him.] Stay behind me!

[The creature isn't far at all, snarling at the air with sharp fangs and countless teeth. It's body and head are largely leonine, attached to thick scaled legs and equally thick claws. A long, segmented scorpion tail whips behind it, wielding a sickle-like barb. The infection is practically pouring off it's blackened body, landing in heaps and puddles on the ground with every movement.

Riku closes the gap on all fours, adrenaline pumping through his muscles and negating any pain that might come from his limbs lengthening, and climbs up a tree with ease. Reaching one of the higher branches that can actually support his weight, the cat leaps off it with his claws outstretched, planting them square on the beasts back as he lands.]

[It's sometimes a surprise to Sora just how much they've changed. The way Riku's body moves as he hisses out his words and leaps into action. Sora can't help but watch his bondmate for a second, eyes roaming over the contours of his body even as he leaps up that tree to attack. In the middle of a dire situation and Sora can't help but think about how cool Riku looks... This rabbit's head is empty--]

Ahh...! Riku!

[He quickly shakes his head, ears flopping as he does so. Now's not the time to be ogling Riku! They've got work to do!]

Be careful!

[But it's not like Sora's going stand here and let Riku do all the work. Just as Riku leaps from his tree the creature roars and tries to pivot up at Riku. Doing so exposes the monster's neck and Sora bolts forward with surprising speed. He lets out a high pitched rabbit-like yip as he attacks that neck area with his own rabbit claws. They're not as good as a cat's but they're still pretty sharp. Sora makes contact and black blood spurts from that new wound.

The creature howls and that scorpion tail swishes angrily, black spots of cwyld spouting from it like poison.]

[At least Sora has had the experience of being shrunken, morphed, turned into a toy or a different shape all together. Riku has had his share of form changes, but they're only a fraction of what his best friend has experienced. The fangs and the fur had been a little concerning when they first came in, with Riku's apprehension only being compounded by the full moons.

But now, with the instincts and mental changes so close to the surface, it doesn't feel so weird at all unless he thinks about it.

Claws dig tightly into the creature's skin as Riku is hell bent on not letting go as it thrashes around, hissing and spitting and snapping all the while. He can feel the blood pooling around his fingertips, staining his fur. But he takes a chance and brings one paw up to strike at its face, or at least what he can reach.]

Watch out! [Riku, you should talk. He'll be lucky if he comes out if this tussle without a single bit of cwyld on him.] Go for the eyes!!

[It comes out as a half-growl as Riku continues to shift form while riding the creature. Fur spreads all along his body, a muzzle pushes through and he seems to be gaining more bulk and muscle. There are still some human traits there, but his body is becoming far more feline by the second.

The thrashing keeps him from actually making contact with the eyes and face, but that's not going to stop him. If he can keep it distracted enough by just clawing at it, maybe the speedy bunny will have better luck.]

[Sora can feel the way Riku's body fills with adrenaline from the connection of their bond. It fuels Sora too, a weird feedback loop of bravery and fighting instincts that floods his nerves. Most people say that monster-monster bonds are dangerous because of this. Instincts that can flood to the other partner can cause some feral tendencies in both of them.

That's why Sora doesn't say anything except for another shout as he hops effortlessly up to the creatures face. His muscles tense and he crunches right into the scorpion's face with his teeth and gouges out one eye. ... not tasty.

In return the creature howls and shakes its head violently. Poisonous acid spits from its tail spewing dark cwyld all over the place. And it splatters up on Sora as well, stinging him like a shower of burns.]

Arrgghh!!

[And just as there's feedback from Riku, so to does he get it from the Puca. Seconds after Sora shouts out, Riku viciously snarls, claws slashing and slicing at the creatures back and neck, fueled by little more than Sora's pain and his own anger.

How dare this thing hurt his best friend!

Pack instinct running wild through him, Riku's determined to keep Sora safe as much as possible. While getting the job done of course. The feline kicks off the creature's back, causing it to spit and hiss as Riku tries to do as much damage as he can with his claws while dismounting. Using the strength in all four of his limbs, he leaps to the beast's behind and bites onto the middle of its tail.

There's a sickening crunch as his fangs sink into the carapace and the creature howls in pain. Riku was hoping to bite it clean off, but the creature was still bigger than him, even in this form. His lips and jaws barely wrap fully around the tail. It tries desperately to use the limb to throw him off, but Riku's digging all his paws into the ground, determined to use whatever strength he's got to pin down the stinger and not let go.

Even as the acid splashes over him, burning through his thick fur and the tattered remains of his clothes. If he can just keep this away from Sora or get rid of it, they'll stand a better chance of not getting infected themselves.]

[It's a messy job out in the wildes. Killing creatures like this before they get too close to the city is important. But boy, is it messy. Sora can feel each little prick of acid that touches Riku through their adrenaline-fuelled bond and his own little splashes of burns sting like heck too.

But the creature itself seems to waver and weaken with Riku's attack, clamouring over onto one side as it kicks up and tries to sting Riku with its tail. But it's so damaged now that all is can do is collapse onto the ground with a howling snarl.

It's not going to last much longer. Sora takes the opportunity to leap up shove his claws into the creature's neck. He pulls and scratches until all that's left is a mass of dead cwyld.]

Riku...?

[Sora wobbles backwards and falls onto his butt in exhaustion. His nerves are on fire. His shoulders are shaking with adrenaline and more. His ears swivelling to hear of anything else the creature might do. But it seems to be done. It's dead.]

[Despite its trashing, Riku is steadfast, keeping his jaw clamped firmly on that tail and squeezing when he finds the strength. More acidic ooze splashes out of the tail, but the stinger never seems to be able to find a body to poison.

Even as it falls to the ground, Riku can feel the strength leaving its body as the bond tethering him to Sora picks up the rabbit's ferocity as he tears into its neck. An ear perks up at his own name, but the feline still holds onto the tail in his mouth, stunned by the adrenaline rush and cautious over whether the beast was actually dead.

But its body was growing colder and the taste of its blood in Riku's mouth was getting to be a bit much. Metallic, yet it started to sting his tongue and that's when he let's go. Riku's face and muzzle are a complete mess, his pale fur stained by its blood, and he's doing his best to resist licking the stuff off.

He struggling to get the taste out of his mouth, his tongue flicking in and out of his mouth, as he pads his way over to Sora, keeping his ears on the bunny and his eyes on the creature. You can never be too careful...]

You okay...?

[It comes out in a rumble and he noses Sora gently, minding the tall ears. He knows the answer, feeling the burn of exhaustion and the sting of he wounds from Sora. But still, careful eyes tearing themselves away from the carcass to give his friend a once over. Battered, and the sight of the singed spots of fur make his hackles rise, but he's okay. They're both okay.

Another gentle nudge as Riku plants his nose on the crown of Sora's head, his nest of spikes making him huff lightly, and he moves to the other side of his friend to sitting on his haunches. He still hasn't shifted back into his usual form. As tired as he is, Riku would rather stay looking like this for as long as he can right now. The exhaustion that comes with changing out of this form tends to hit him like truck, hard and fast.]

Good job, bunny.

[Sora is glad when everything is over because despite being who he usually is as a rabbit he's much more averse to fighting these days. He'll do it and fight hard when he has to but when it comes down to it all he really dislikes having to get blood and gunk on himself. Rabbit nerves make it hard for him to want to fight anything.

So when it's finally done Sora lets out a tired noise. His rabbit ears twitch and swivel when Riku comes into view again. He can smell the blood in the air and is glad that he can't seem to detect any of Riku's blood. So that means he's not hurt badly.]

Riku. Riku. You're okay.

[The bond flourishes with affection as soon as Riku comes close to nudge and nuzzle his hair. He shuts his eyes and grabs onto Riku like a greedy little thing, holding to him and sticking his nose to Riku's chest. He inhales unabashedly, enjoying the smell of Riku's fur and skin.]

You did good too, Riku.

[Only Riku can get away with calling him bunny like that.]

I'm glad it's done...! What a pain...

[Neither of them are majorly injured and it's such a relief to Riku. The burns stung and hurt, but if that's all they have to handle at the end of this, well then he'd consider them lucky.

He fumbles a little, moving an forelimbs out of the way both to give Sora some more room and also to wrap that very same limb and paw around his friend, embracing him. It's the best he can do in this body, though Sora is sure to hear and feel the rumble of a purr starting in his chest, increasing that sunny gentle warmth of their bond.

Sometimes these changes and this bond are a bit of a curse. Physical affection has never been his strongest trait but it's become increasingly familiar and easier for him here.]

Thanks. You can choose the next job though.

[He laughs, the rumbling mixing in with his voice. But taking one last look at the body before them...]

We should get going, and find somewhere safer for the time being. I packed some healing charms, so we should get you cleaned up and looked at before we head back.

[Never mind that Riku looks like a complete mess himself. Matted and stained fur, sporting his own burns, and he could really use a source of water right now to rinse his mouth out. Bleh.]

Heh. We'll, I might pick gardening as our next job together so you better be prepared to get your hands dirty with actual dirt.

[And at least it's not dirty with cwyld gunk. Like they are right now... Sora fusses, one ear twitching annoyingly at the black sticky stuff stuck in his fur. He tugs at his shirt and then winces when he moves the wrong way and makes a stinging burn hurt.]

It's getting late so it might be good if we find somewhere to sleep for the night too. We can head back in the morning, right?

[Sora then starts to strip off his shirt. Healing charms, yes please...]

Ew, dirt.

[He may actually stick his cat-like tongue out at that suggestion, voice dripping with sarcasm. It's not as if Riku has been adverse or dislikes the idea of getting dirty. As a kid, he often ended up just as dirty and filthy as Sora. It doesn't bother him here much either, at least until the need to get clean hits him hard. Stupid feline instincts.

It's hard to resist the urge to try and clean himself up now. As he let's Sora go and moves to give him more room and some privacy, Riku winces at the burns and sticky black gunk that sting as he moves. He lowers himself onto his belly and rests his head on top of his paws, ears pinned back as Sora's exhaustion and hurt transfers through the bond.]

You'll have to grab the charms. They're in the side pocket in a pouch.

[And should he find it, there will be two small bronze medallions inscribed with runes and tied with rattail cords so that they can be worn as necklaces. They aren't the strongest charms out there, progressively healing over time, but they should do the trick for now.

Miraculously, the bag is in perfect shape, still strapped to Riku's shifted body. It took time and budgeting for him to afford a pack that was so heavily charmed. Enchanted to hold more items than it should and to adapt to his body changes was worth it though, especially when Riku had little time considering involuntary shifting or sticky fingers if he managed to get it off his back before his body could shred it.

Tail slowly trailing back and forth on the ground, he does look back at Sora with concern. He's far less worried about his own issues and the idea that he won't have enough energy to make it back, and more worried about Sora's own well being.]

We can... if you're sure you want to. [An ear flicks in annoyance. Riku came prepared to spend extra time out here, but hunting this beast took longer than he expected.] We just need to find somewhere safe first. Like a cave or a den or something.

[Which might be a mission in itself. There's a lot of dangers out here and who knows what the nights are like.

Riku goes quiet as he tilts his head.]

Getting awfully fuzzy now, aren't you?

[That is something that Sora doesn't envy about turnskins. That ability to change so fully into the animal they represent is kind of funny. Riku looks like he's making himself into a loaf of bread. Sora much likes staying mostly human-shaped aside from the added rabbit appendages.

He gives a quick nod as he moves over to Riku's pack. He tugs through it for a moment before he retrieves the healing charms they brought with them courtesy of Kairi. He sits down and cracks one open to let the magic pour over one of his worse burns with a wince.

Then he reaches out and runs a hand over Riku's head, scratching gently at those fuzzy kitty ears.]

Says you, have you looked in the mirror lately? I'm surprised you're not coughing up furballs all the time.

[Sora snickers playfully.]

[He resents being compared to a loaf of bread, thank you very much.

Though he can't blame anyone for thinking that way. As comfortable as he's become in this form, he's never quite been in this sort of a situation before. Missing thumbs and other human features strikes him at times, especially when the cat habits come through.

Riku stays still as his partner rummages around, sighing as his eyes shut halfway. The burns still sting and ache, a few particularly bad ones on a forearm, his flank and a side of his chest, but he's happy enough wait until later.

Especially since Sora decides to attack his ears like that. They flick and move out of the way initially, but Sora's touch is so gentle. Those half-lidded eyes close all the way, and the rumble in his chest returns. He pretty much forgets about a burn located close to an ear.

Damnit, it feels really good. Riku finds himself leaning into scritches, unable to help himself.]

Don't go there... [His words slur a little, one eye opening just enough to glare at his bondmate. His tail whips around to gently bap Sora's back.] I'll start leaving them on your bed if that ever happens.

[Urgh, why did he have to turn into a cat of all things. It's so embarrassing.]

Ew.

[Sora chuckles lightly. He notes the way Riku's ears flick and he smiles. He makes sure to take a second healing charm out of the bag and starts to snap it to apply the healing properties to Riku's wounds too. He starts with the back with careful and affectionate fingers.]

Even after I patch you up you'd do that to me?

[Then he starts on Riku's shoulder and then his particularly badly burned arm.]

Come here, lemme see that arm of yours. Geeze.

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