[ With Arden's back pressed against his own like that one time a few weeks ago, Riku comes to allow his gaze to drop, simply feeling the other's presence and noting how different it is from Sora or even Ventus. But different isn't bad, not always and not in this moment. Arden is not bad, regardless of how their first meeting went prior to either of them arriving here within this world. Being here... things are different... Arden is different... even he himself is different.

But when Arden leaves him with that sort of comparison, claiming how he isn't a friend, Riku comes to stare across the room before eyes slowly fall shut. ]

The same could be said for me with you, you know.

[ It works both ways, regardless of who the "original" is. ]

Here you are trying to live your life you've created for yourself here and I go and infect you with the darkness. My darkness... a part of me.

[ Coming to bow his head some, Riku sighs to himself. ]

I don't want you to lose yourself, even just a little. You don't deserve that.