Chapter Text
Riku had seen his fair share of things in his life. All kinds of things; normal things, not so normal things, and downright bizarre, ugly and dangerous things. But nothing compared to what he was seeing now.
Yeah, okay it wasn’t that weird- people came up to him and asked him for assistance all the time. But usually that only happened in a town- in a tavern or other semi-public place. But this? In the middle of the woods? Much less common, at least for him. He couldn’t speak to the oddities the others had encountered. Surely he wasn’t the only Witcher that stumbled upon a filthy, bloodied person in the woods that smiled like the sun and asked if he could help him find a friend.
And surely said filthy, bloody, sunshine person had animal companions. Why wouldn’t they? Surely this strange person was completely human, his medallion surely wouldn’t be vibrating like crazy if he was anything but. Of course Riku wasn’t very good at sarcasm.
He stared at the strange, clearly not human boy (he surely had to be a boy, or some eldritch creature that took the form of a boy) with every ounce of mistrust and disbelief. Even more so as the boy just smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.
“I know this looks weird, but I swear i’m not playing a game! I’m really lost and you look trustworthy!” the boy smiled but didn’t approach.
Riku only raised a single silver brow, “You’re clearly not the cleverest of your species if you truly think that.”
Riku watched as the boy’s cheeks puffed, “Well that isn’t very nice! I stand by what I said, but if you don’t have the time all you had to do was say so.”
He said nothing as the boy turned and started off in a different direction, animal companions by his side and limp prominent in his gait.
Against his better judgement, curiosity took hold, “Where are you even headed.” It didn’t truly sound like a question, but the boy’s head jerked around and he stared at Riku for a moment before smiling that same sun-bright smile.
“I’m not entirely sure! It’s a place called The Mansion, and it’s supposedly real spooky, but I have a friend there that I need to meet!” the boy crossed his arms behind his head and tilted it left and right.
Riku really, really hated to admit that he knew exactly where the place was this boy was describing, “The place they say has a witch gone mad?”
The boy perked even more and nodded, “Yup! That’s the one! So you know where it is?” he was more energetic than the dog by his side.
Riku grunted, “I do, but it’s a long way from here.”
He didn’t look at the boy but he heard him take a couple of tentative steps closer, “So...you’re willing to take me?” His voice was so hopeful…
Riku only grunted again, “I’m heading in that direction, I can’t stop you if you feel like tagging along, but you’d be on my schedule. Your little trip won’t be my priority.”
The boy just shrugged and closed the distance between them, sitting much closer than anyone had ever even thought to before. He had a feeling this boy was going to break him of shock altogether.
Riku stared and the boy smiled, “That’s alright! I’m sure no one expects me to make it anywhere in a timely manner!” He stared back at Riku, tilting his head this way and that, “What’s your name?”
Oh yeah, Riku was definitely quickly becoming immune to the sensation of shock, “Riku.”
The boy smiled that same sunshine smile, “It’s nice to meet you, Riku! I’m Sora.”
Well, the name seemed to suit him. Riku could feel himself already regretting this decision.
***
He knew Sora was odd, and as such his actions were going to be similar, but not even Riku knew someone that had such cold feet when it came to walking into a town. Riku didn’t think much as he stepped past the safety of the trees and into the more open area preceding a town, but the lack of jaunty footsteps and a four legged friend happily tagging along brought him pause.
He turned slowly and saw Sora staring out at the town, his eyes big and blue and maybe afraid? He was mostly behind a tree, a hand pressed to the bark. Riku could really only see his face and hand. He rose a brow at the strange boy, “Well?”
Sora startled and met his eyes, a sheepish look passing across them briefly before he pushed himself away from the safety of the forest, “Sorry, just- I haven’t been here before is all!”
His smile was bright and fake and Riku only frowned more. He was surprised that he even wanted to know what was wrong, or that he felt a distinct displeasure at seeing Sora’s strained smile, but he was nothing if not a quiet man and as such he kept his mouth shut and just kept walking.
Sora’s footsteps were still dragging, but he was following. The closer they got to the first building of town Riku heard Sora’s footsteps kick up the pace, and felt as he sidled up beside him - careful not to touch. Riku noticed that his animal companions seemed much more aware now as well, more protective.
He couldn’t help but wonder if Sora had avoided towns and cities and people, if he took his company in the form of the forest and it’s creatures. It would surely explain why he felt more creature than human himself.
“You don’t have to follow me in here.” It fell from his mouth without his permission.
Sora startled beside him and looked up to him then grinned a less forced grin, “I don’t mind! I’m not afraid, just curious! Cautious even! I - uh, I wasn’t really raised around many people! So it’s just nice to see!”
It wasn’t a truth, but it wasn’t necessarily a lie either. Riku let him have it as he tied his trusty steed to a post and gestured to Sora’s companions, “They need to stay out here, unless you want them to become a part of the menu.”
Sora paled and his jaw dropped, he turned quickly to the dog and fell to his knees, “Goofy! You have to make sure no one decides you and Donald are gonna be dinner, okay? I’m putting you in charge! No! Don’t you quack at me Donald! This is the absolute opposite of what you should be doing!”
Riku could feel all the eyes they were garnering the longer this went on, “Sora.”
Sora jolted and looked up to him again, then gave a very clear behave gesture and stood again. He gave a little grin and crossed his arms behind his head, “Sorry, he’s got strong opinions.”
Still, Riku kept his mouth shut and pushed his way into the tavern, Sora hot on his heels. They weren’t that odd a pair, and a Witcher was nothing new around these parts - not even Sora’s outbursts outside had really drawn people from their food and drink.
The first thing he did was find a table in a corner, and deposit Sora in it, “Don’t talk to anyone, don’t make eyes at anyone. Stare at the table, your hands, anything but the people in here. Don’t draw any more attention to yourself and behave.”
Sora’s cheeks immediately puffed and he crossed his arms, “I’m not a kid, don’t treat me like one. Just ‘cause I haven’t been around a lotta people doesn’t mean I’m just gonna do something stupid.”
Riku really doubted that but he didn’t say anymore and instead walked to the bar. He had a bounty to collect after all.
***
It was never any trouble to pick up a bounty. There was always some traveler or farmer that heard something go bump in the night and needed to find the nearest monster to go head to head with what their imagination could conjure. Better it be a monster they could reason with, a monster the monsters feared.
He knew which to pick. Which would be actual monsters and which might just have been the baffling little lad he picked up on his way here. Either way - it was easy money, and he took what he knew was in the direction of the Mansion. He figures Sora’s otherness should keep him safe during Riku’s hunts. He isn’t planning on dragging him to their exact location anyways.
He’s almost pleasantly surprised when he makes it back to the table to see Sora hasn’t moved an inch, but he has seemed to have befriended.... A rat.
“What…” He slowly set a tankard on the table while Sora smiled up at him.
“Well, while you were bein’ all mysterious and bossy, I made a new friend! He knows where to get all the freshest ingredients for whatever you might wanna make.” Sora ran his fingers gently over the little rat, who seemed overjoyed at the attention.
“And you know this, how?” Riku rose a brow and stared.
“He told me, of course.” Sora said, as if it explained everything, which to him it might have. To Riku it really only solidified the idea of Sora being anything but human. “His name’s Remy, by the way!”
Riku grunted. He was not going to speak to the rat. Sora didn’t seem to have a problem with that, he spoke to the rat just fine, with no problem.
“You know, you probably shouldn’t stay here, I don’t think the people will take too kindly to you being around their food. Oh, no of course I know you’re not dirty, but they have some silly ideas about little critters like you!” Riku really was starting to think he might have to muzzle this boy.
“Sora,” he grunted, “stop.”
Sora frowned and crossed his arms, “Okay fine, but he’s coming too. I won’t let him get hurt here.”
Riku clenched his eyes shut, pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed.