Souvenir of the Seelie Court (Tag: Riku)

Aqua frowned rather quickly. Automatically, she reached up and tugged on one of his ears. She was glaring at her partner. She had a lot of work to do in order to fix this battered self esteem of his. She was willing to put in the effort for him, because he had done the same thing for her. Especially when she beat herself up about her last partner. He sat with her and listened to her when she literally felt like the whole world was against her. He put her back together when she didn't think she could get up daily.

"Now you listen to me, Officer Hopps." she said. "You're not messing anything up. You have done nothing but good things since you've got here and you're going to continue doing good things. So don't you ever change! Do you hear me?"

She let his ear go. Now realizing that it probably hurt to have that tugged on. She sat back down on her side of the bench. Perhaps she got a bit too passionate about that, but she didn't like seeing her partner put himself down like that. He was a good cop and an even better person. She was so happy to have met him and she couldn't put to words how much she appreciated him as a partner.

"You're going to be human again." She said. "So get it through your think skull already. I can translate the scroll after all... It'll just take some time."

"Weiss wants to see you again." Aqua said. "I met her. She wants to see you as you. She's afraid that you're forgetting about her. You're making new friends and I think... she thinks you're moving on without her."

That was what Aqua was able to gather from the angry, hurt girl. Weiss had been so angry with her. She didn't like the fact that Aqua was Riku's partner. The girl was jealous, until Aqua offered to set up a meeting between the siblings, offering to act as a buffer to the awkwardness the long meeting might have caused. But she also knew, that if they wanted it, she would give them their space. She respected the both of them too much to try and force things between the warring siblings. She had even gone to Weiss' rescue when Thrax attacked at the ball.

"You didn't call her or see if she was okay after the ball." Aqua added. "But I get it... Your parents aren't exactly making this easy on you. Weiss just wants her brother back in her life. If your parents were hard on you, imagine how they are on her now that you're gone."

"I know that, but Riku, you seem to be one of the few friends she has. Your parents are cutting you off from her," Aqua said, still taking a gentle tone. "You're both adults. If you want to see each other, there's no reason you can't. What are they going to do? Call the cops?"

That would be humorous at best. Yes, Weiss was a minor, but she was old enough to legally decide who she did or did not spend time with. Aqua wanted to take Mr. and Mrs. LaFayette by the necks and rattle them until their common sense came back. Because they literally threw away the one thing Aqua had always wanted - a family. All because Riku wouldn't conform to whatever they wanted. It was stupid and pointless, especially considering how short of lives humans lived.

"Then let's make this uncomplicated." Aqua decided. "I invite Weiss over to my house, you come over, and we'll have a nice dinner so you two can talk. They can't control who I invite into my home."

"Then we'll get in contact with Elsa to fight them." Aqua said as a matter of fact.

She felt that Riku seriously needed a hug after all this. His parents were horrendous. She realized that she had been quite fortunate because her parents truly loved each other even if they were tragically taken away from her by what the queen said was a group called Trinity. Aqua didn't put much stock in it. The accident report said a drunk driver ran them off the road. But the little seed of doubt was there. She just wished Riku's parents could get their heads out of their asses to see what they were doing to their own family.

"Riku, if your parents try butting into my personal life and telling me who I can or can't have in my own home, then we have problems." Aqua said. "Besides, I'm not a bad cook. No where near as good as the Seddon family, but Terra said I was good. I'll check with Weiss and see what day works for her. Then I'll make sure we both have the day off."

"Silly rabbit," Aqua teased. "We chase serial killers, murders and other criminals for a living. I don't think your family or their team of lawyers could scare me."

But she would be happy to go toe to toe with his family if it meant Riku was happy. She owed her own happiness to him since he was the one to snap her out of her funk. So if she had to fight the most powerful family in the city, so be it. Bring it on. She doubted they could scare her any more than Vanitas did. And that demon was petrifying when she realized the power and the sheer multitude of things he had done. Things like take Namine and Jane hostage. Threaten and blackmail his own safety. Then... Terra...

"I think I understand what you mean..." Aqua said. "I was an only child and after my parents died... I didn't really have anyone else."

Aqua winced. It hurt her to think someone could be so afraid of their own family, but as she was learning, it wasn't that uncommon. Namine was terrified of her father. She supposed she would have to be unafraid for the both of them if she was going to defy his parents.

"I was alone." Aqua pointed out. "Before you were my partner, I was thinking of going to the Seelie Realm and never coming back to the human one. I mean... I loved a human. And I outlived him. I would with any human I met. But your persistence made me stay."

She smiled. She had thought about it prior to her trip to the court as well, but Riku's resolve and can do attitude perked her interests enough to make her want to stay. He had been kind and revived her hope in humans as a species. She had gotten so used to the hurt and the hate that humans sowed she had to be reminded - by Riku - that things were still good in this world. It wasn't completely lost yet.

"Just... be persistent. Show her things haven't changed and that you still love her despite your new dream." Aqua said. "You shouldn't have to sacrifice your happiness to make other people happy."

"You humans are so complicated." Aqua breathed out with a smile.

She shook her head. Her partner was frustrating at times. So full of doubt. Almost like a little kid. It was... sweet. But this was nice, just them talking and she was giving advice. She had done the same for Sunshine. The blonde had a crush on Riku, but probably hadn't acted on it in the time that Aqua was away, especially if Riku said she was distraught most of the time.

"Like I said, persistence." she said. "You can't expect it to be all sunshine and daisies, right? She does have a right to be mad but at the same time, you have to make her see things from your perspective. Just... don't leave it on a bad note... I did with Terra... and now I can never take that back."

"Don't come back home tonight, Terra." Her last words to him.