[067.] Of Conflict and Hostility
Title: Of Conflict and Hostility
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Claim: Cloud/Riku
Theme: [067.] Final
Word Count: 6,340
Rating: R
Summary: Sora’s awake and the war begins. Riku has two enemies in sight: Organization XIII and that effing Zack Fair.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Kingdom Hearts whatsoever other than I am a super obsessive fangirl. It all belongs to Disney and Square Enix. I’ve accepted this, and you should, too.
Riku stared at the screen displaying Sora’s progress for several seconds. No thought ran through his mind other than the visual confirmation that only a few rooms away the pod Sora had slept peacefully in for almost eight months was opening. Sora was awake. His brain and body felt sluggish and distant until he felt a harsh tug on his arm and he met Naminé’s eyes. She was wearing an insistent expression as if she’d been trying to catch his attention for a while now.
“We have to move.”
That was when it really sunk in. Sora was awake, which meant Sora was mobile. There was no way out of the mansion from the pod room other than through the computer room, and they couldn’t be here when that happened. DiZ, Naminé, and Riku...they were all behind the scenes. They were to help and not be seen unless purposefully shown to him. It would raise too many questions, and looking the way he did...there would be too much to explain.
Riku nodded.
DiZ entered a few final keystrokes into the computer and moved for the stairs. Riku watched him go, directed a final look at the door to the pod room, and closed his fingers around the cell phone in his pocket, vaguely registering he’d have to leave all those changes of clothing behind in his haste to leave before following after DiZ.
It all happened in a blur, fleeing the place he’d just started to get comfortable in and moving almost mechanically behind DiZ, before Naminé, through Twilight Town. His stomach clenched, mind moving like sludge, but his nerves were on overdrive, moving faster than his limbs could handle leaving a jittery feeling of not being able to physically keep up with how quickly his body wanted to go.
The most he could process of his emotions at that moment was a feeling of grandeur-that something big was starting, though the path had already been set in motion weeks ago when Riku first left Hollow Bastion. It seemed like a far off memory now. He could hardly believe such little time had passed since he’d appeared as himself and been with Cloud. It was around this time as he moved through the Tram Common that Riku remembered Naminé’s urging to go back there now, to see Leon about the enigmatic Zack’s return and to tie up the loose ends from their quasi-fight came to him.
“DiZ,” Riku called out, but DiZ kept moving, putting as much distance between them and Sora as he could in what little time there was.
His chest pulled tight and his breath hitched. That distance with Sora had been growing since he left the Island. It was the worst in Hollow Bastion, when Sora had proclaimed his friends were his power and Riku’s heart was almost lost. He almost had that distance closed-it was within his grasp-but then it was all over as the door to darkness closed. Watching Roxas, seeing Sora in that pod, had almost made Riku feel close to Sora again, but now Sora was awake, and that distance was there again, growing stronger with every step he took away from the old mansion.
“DiZ,” Riku called again, this time a little louder, but DiZ still either didn’t hear him or didn’t respond.
He had been resolved to let Naminé go-DiZ seemed to have almost forgotten about that ‘disposed of’ thing-but as he glanced back to her, it became so much harder. He knew she had to go back-back to Kairi where she belonged, and all things considered Riku really was a big boy. He was perfectly capable of handling matters without her assistance. He was more than capable of making his own decisions and being resolved without her guidance. Riku just hadn’t realized how much he’d come to depend on both these things with DiZ since their reunion.
“DiZ!” Riku shouted this time, unable to control his volume and wanting nothing more than to be heard. DiZ stilled and turned.
“What?”
The way he said it flared annoyance up inside him again as he tried not to scowl. DiZ had a way of being curt-almost rude-that just grated on his nerves (and not even close to the way Yuffie grated on Cloud’s). Riku huffed.
“You’re going to the World that Never Was, right? To check up on Organization XIII?”
“Correct,” said DiZ. “We have to discover what they’re up to and guide Sora along the way. That irksome redhead is bad enough.”
Riku almost smiled. As much as DiZ hated him, he really was becoming awfully fond of Axel.
“I agree, and I’ll meet you there, but there’s something I have to do first. Loose ends I need to tie up.”
“But...”
“This isn’t negotiable. You go on ahead, scope out their stronghold, and come up with a strategy. I’ll only be a day. Two at the most.”
DiZ considered him. Riku steeled himself, refusing to budge under the scrutiny. Ansem wouldn’t budge, and as far as DiZ knew, Ansem was exactly who Riku was. He needed to play the part.
“All right, but first you need to tie up some loose ends here.” DiZ motioned to Naminé. She released a small gasp and ducked behind Riku. “She needs to be disposed of and we can’t just let Axel wander around back to Organization XIII. He will need to be destroyed.”
Riku felt Naminé tense behind him. The fury that would have boiled his blood could not manifest, however, because the mention of Axel was too strange, too abrupt that all Riku could do was blink and say, “I thought he was already gone. Roxas took care of him.”
“He survived and snuck off to Sunset Hill here in the real Twilight Town. Do what you need to do, but first take care of those two. I’ll see you in the World that Never Was.”
With sheer trust-without bothering to even ensure that Riku followed through on his task-DiZ disappeared through a dark portal. Part of Riku’s mind rejoiced in that hope that he could somehow get out of this, and then he felt Naminé’s hand on his arm. He turned.
“I-”
“It’s okay,” she said. The way her arms were wrapped around her body suggested otherwise as she looked away, voice trembling. Riku wanted to grab her, shake her, demand to know why she could believe he was even capable of getting rid of her, but he knew the answer to his great shame already. It was there in his foreign appearance birthed from the darkness in his heart. She cleared her throat and tried to meet his eyes, but they darted back to her feet. “I’m not afraid of my fate. It’s probably for the best...”
“But Kairi-”
“I wasn’t born like other Nobodies. She can exist without me. I’m not even a real Nobody; I don’t have any real place to go back to. I don’t even know if I can become whole with Kairi.”
“But-”
“I’ve already done what I needed to do. I’m just sorry about Axel.”
Riku frowned. Axel. He was an enigma-an entity completely foreign to Riku’s understanding. He was supposed to be a Nobody, but he was so animated. He seemed full of so much emotion from anger, happiness, and disappointment. He called Roxas his best friend. He tried to follow Organization XIII’s orders, but he did it with such poor resolve, loyalty still tied to Roxas and whatever he thought he felt.
“I don’t get Axel,” said Riku. “He seems harsh, but then...”
“Axel really cared for Roxas,” said Naminé. “He’s started to care for Sora, too, but I understand DiZ’s perspective. Axel has come to a point where it doesn’t matter how he feels about Sora, because Sora’s taken Roxas away. It’s possible that nothing will stop Axel from turning Sora back into a Heartless.” Riku looked up, his nerves twisting. Naminé lowered her head. “But then, maybe...Maybe Axel would do the right thing even if it isn’t through the most admirable means.”
“How do you know so much about him?”
This time Naminé did look up and gave him that sad, faraway smile.
“Castle Oblivion. His allegiance to Organization XIII has always been questionable. For awhile I thought he was opposed to their superior and was aligned with the rebels. He had Zexion killed-”
“Zexion?” said Riku. “That was-”
“He was in Castle Oblivion. Tried to fool you with the fake Destiny Islands and-”
“And you saved me from losing myself in the light.”
“Axel had him eliminated. And he assisted Sora. He wanted Marluxia destroyed.”
Riku couldn’t speak as his thoughts wandered back to Castle Oblivion. It seemed so long ago when he first met Organization XIII and learned of their threat to the order of things. It was before Nobodies, before Roxas, when he first met Naminé though she was hardly important to him at the time. Now here he was with these nasty orders to dispose of Naminé and destroy Axel. Knowing what he now knew, he couldn’t conceive doing it. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t killed before-kidnapping princesses had been no easy task-but he had changed along the way. Something inside him just didn’t care anymore about doing what was ordered for a sliver of help. As he stood there pondering, trying to sort out the feelings of confliction and reassemble them into a plan a familiar figure in a black, hooded coat scrambled from the side alley in the direction of the train station, head turning every way as if looking for something. Something or...someone...
“The King...” Riku muttered to himself before he’d even properly registered just what that meant or bothered to even question why King Mickey would be wandering around Twilight Town. Of course, all things considered, Riku really didn’t need to wonder why the King was there. Surely he was looking for Sora, and...Riku reached into his pocket, fingers closing around the munny pouch and blue crystal he’d nicked from Roxas. He turned his eyes back to Naminé who was looking after the direction the king had gone, too.
“Go after him,” she said. “I’m sure there’re things you need to talk about.”
He hesitated, oscillating attention between where Mickey had disappeared and where Naminé stood. Riku took a breath and nodded. If he was going to grow up and take action instead of feeling so torn all the time while other people picked up the pieces, now was probably as good a time as any.
“Okay. Naminé, I want you to go to Sunset Hill. Detain Axel until I meet you both there. I’ll let you know what I’ve decided to do about you both then.”
She met his eyes, sadness still in them as the corners of her lips tugged downward into a small frown. She took several steps back, and Riku nodded as if to urge her on, and then she turned, running back to Tram Common and the underground passageways that led to Sunset Hill. Riku turned and took a breath. He didn’t want King Mickey to see him this way, but there were things that needed to be explained. He wanted Roxas to have the crystal. The extra munny was sure to only help Sora along the way, and perhaps Mickey had learned of things on his own travels that Riku should be informed of.
As Riku followed the hill around curves in the pathway toward the train station, he reminded himself that there was no shame in his position. This appearance was a byproduct of doing what was needed to help Sora. To fight darkness Riku had to draw on his own powers of darkness. There was nothing wrong with that. Cloud had said he was proud, that there was nothing else Riku could have done, and certainly Mickey would feel the same. Riku wasn’t on the wrong side this time.
The area outside the station entrance was empty, but Mickey had come this way; Riku was sure of it. He glanced around the area, looking for a sign of the king but none came. His eyes roved the area he knew so well, and there was the possibility of looking inside the station, but would Mickey wait there for Sora to come around? What if he were looking for someone else-Riku himself, or DiZ, who had tapped them both in Castle Oblivion? If he were Mickey, he wouldn’t be hanging around in the station.
Riku looked up, exasperated, sighing, and then his eyes roved the skyline of Twilight Town to fall on the station tower. That was it. If he were Mickey, looking for Sora or any of the above mentioned people and was having little luck, he’d keep an eye out on the station tower. It really was a great place to keep a lookout, and had Hayner and friends not used it so frequently for their ice cream eating escapades he might have used it himself when keeping an eye on Roxas.
The entrance to the station tower was through the station itself so Riku headed up the stairs and inside the glass doors. Near the back was a plain, wooden door, and inside it, a long climb to the clock tower, steps wrapping around in squares straight to the top. His thighs were already aching when he reached the first door up the stairs to find that Mickey had gone higher than simply the station roof. He moved onward, gripping the railing tighter as he reached the top trying to ignore the burn in his legs from the steep climb. At the top he threw the door open and there was Mickey in mid-jump from the sudden, startling entrance.
In retrospect Riku realized the narrow station tower ledge was probably not the best place to do it, break down crying and throw himself on the majestic mouse, but he couldn’t think it through before it was done. Even if he could have, it probably would have gone the same way considering Riku didn’t know the tears were coming until they were already there. Mickey just stood there, stiff, patting Riku’s back, and then he jumped back a little.
“Riku?!” said King Mickey. The only response the poor king got was a miserable, little nod as Riku tried to calm himself. He couldn’t even fight, barely jerked away, as Mickey grabbed the black coat’s hood and pushed it back. He released a barely audible gasp. “Oh, Riku...What happened?”
Riku sniffed and rubbed his nose.
“It’s a long story and we don’t have time for it. I ran into DiZ. I had to get Roxas.”
“I know. Leon told me all about it.”
“I had to get Roxas. He was with them. Organization XIII. I had to get Roxas. So I used the darkness and now...”
Mickey nodded, but didn’t look surprised.
“I was afraid this was going to happen.”
“You...What?”
“I thought this might happen, but there’s no need to cry. You’re okay, aren’t cha?”
“There was nothing I could do. I had to use the darkness. I’m sorry. I...”
Mickey gave him a warm smile and gently pushed Riku back to look in his eyes.
“You’re still Riku inside. All this means is that you were willing to do anything for Sora. You might be using the darkness, but you’re doing it for the light.”
Riku blinked away the last of the saline swimming in his eyes. He knew it, had heard it before, and had even tried to rationalize his actions to himself with the same sentiments, but coming from King Mickey was-as it had been in Castle Oblivion-the best comfort. It was more real-more honest. His breathing eased as he sat back.
“So I guess you’re here for Sora.”
“You betcha,” said Mickey, grinning. “I wanted to see how his progress was and check up on you.”
“Sora’s awake,” said Riku. “It just happened. He’s probably wandering around Twilight Town now wondering where he is.”
“We better make this short then. The train’s already here and I have to send him to see Yen Sid, my old teacher, to catch him up on the Nobodies. I’d do it myself but I’m looking for Ansem the Wise.”
Riku frowned.
“Ansem the Wise?” Riku almost scoffed. “Mickey...I’m...He’s dead, remember? I look like him.”
Mickey did nothing but stare, blank-faced at Riku for several moments. Riku almost thought the king had lost his mind between Hollow Bastion and Twilight Town, but then his eyes lit up and he nodded.
“That’s right. You don’t know. After you left Hollow Bastion I did some research in the castle library and went to the World that Never Was myself to learn more about Organization XIII. That’s when I remembered that back before everything started I went to meet with Ansem the Wise. I forgot what he looked like, but when I was in the library I came across a photograph.”
“I’m sorry but I don’t see where you’re going with this.”
“Ansem wasn’t Ansem the Wise. I haven’t figured out who he was yet, but he wasn’t the real Ansem. He was just going around telling everybody he was. I know I’ve seen him before in Hollow Bastion. That’s why I got him confused with Ansem the Wise. The Ansem Sora defeated-the one you look like-was that guy’s Heartless.”
It was as if Mickey had just tied Riku’s spirit to a brick and dropped it in the oceans of Atlantica. The story was far-fetched, but so were Heartless and Nobodies. Ansem wasn’t Ansem. Ansem was just some random guy’s Heartless? Riku was possessed and fell into the realm of darkness, couldn’t beat the darkness in his heart, and now looked like this because of some random guy’s Heartless?
“Are you sure?” said Riku. “A Heartless?”
“I’m sure,” said Mickey. “The leader of Organization XIII is his Nobody. That must be why all those guys in Castle Oblivion thought you smelled like their superior.”
Riku’s head may as well be under water with his spirit the way it was swimming, full of questions, but none of them clear enough to formulate. He took a breath and tried to process the information. Mickey turned away, glancing down at the Twilight Town streets, and gave a little squeal.
“There’s Sora, Donald, and Goofy. I’ve got to go.”
“Wait...” said Riku. “Here.” Riku pulled the crystal from his pocket and opened the munny pouch, dropping the little blue orb inside. “I took these from Roxas. I want Sora to have them.”
“Golly,” said Mickey. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Sure. I just...I’m going to Hollow Bastion next and then the World that Never Was to meet up with DiZ and keep an eye on the Organization. Maybe I’ll do some research on my own. You go ahead. I just wanted to see you before I left.”
Mickey nodded and took the pouch from Riku’s outstretched hand. For a moment he felt empty, heavier without those objects that tied him to Roxas’s outdated existence. Riku took another breath and swallowed but his throat remained tight, his chest constricted, breathing shallow. Mickey looked torn, eyes worried as he wavered glances between Riku and Sora below.
“Go on,” said Riku. “Just...Promise me something.” Mickey looked concerned but said nothing. “Promise me that you won’t tell anyone about this,” he said, motioning to himself. “Promise that Sora won’t find out what happened to me in the darkness. I want to help him; I’ll do anything to help him...”
“I know you will, Riku.”
“But I don’t want him to know what happened to me. Please.”
He could have been overstepping his boundaries. Mickey was the king of Disney Castle. Mickey was a big deal and Riku-Riku was just an outcast from the darkness, but Mickey hadn’t given up on him. Mickey was supposed to be his friend. Riku didn’t think he could bear if Sora knew, and now here he was trying to appeal to the king’s compassion. It wasn’t a demand, but a plea, and Mickey seemed to register this as he regarded Riku and finally nodded.
“I promise. And I’ll keep you updated,” said Mickey, and then he was gone through the door.
Riku turned and directed his eyes down to the ground below where Sora, Donald, and Goofy were being swarmed by Nobodies. He closed his eyes for a moment, trusting Sora to take care of himself now that he was live and mobile, and Mickey to take care of the rest. He opened a dark portal beside him with the intent of heading to Sunset Hill.
~*~
Of all things to do while awaiting fate Riku found Naminé at the top of Sunset Hill sitting poised and leafing through her sketchbook. Axel stood by her, gazing out at the direction of the train tracks. She looked up at Riku’s approach, barely smiled, and looked back down.
“He’s gone,” said Axel, leaning over the railing where Roxas had seen the ‘ghost train.’ Somehow, intuitively, Riku just knew Axel was talking about Sora, and with Sora, Roxas.
“I suppose we’re next,” said Naminé.
“You don’t have any place to go, do you?” said Axel. “And you don’t have anywhere to go back to, right?”
Riku had decided at this point that the worst thing someone could ever be was not as he was-fallen from light and darkness, walking the line-but a Nobody. They lived empty lives, yearning for something more, and their plight was so real, so heart-wrenchingly unendurable that it put Riku’s own pain to shame. He had promised to come back with answers, but he was more torn than ever, seeing no point for either of them to go on, but unwilling to destroy the mild chance that they, too, could become whole again one day.
“Things like that don’t exist for guys like us,” said Axel, breaking Riku’s thought process and turning. He barely registered Riku’s presence. Naminé must have told him Riku was coming. She didn’t even look up, staring at one of her drawing of Sora and Roxas.
“Hmm...” said Naminé. “That’s right. There is no place for me. Still...I have some places I want to go...I have some people I want to see.”
Kairi. Destiny Islands. Sora. All of these things and more popped into Riku’s head as Naminé said this and his own desire to keep Naminé around flared up inside of him.
“Yeah,” said Axel, “same here.” He glanced over to Riku, acknowledging his presence for the first time since he arrived and flashed that familiar, asinine smirk so similar to Riku’s own. Sora as himself or Roxas had a bad habit of making friends with people on the arrogant side. “So why don’t you just let us go? That old guy told you to get rid of us, didn’t he?”
Naminé looked up startled and almost as if this was the first time she’d heard it. Just letting them go, off to do whatever they wished hadn’t really occurred to Riku, and he’d hate to think what DiZ would do if he found out even if it probably could compare to what Maleficent might have done, but Riku couldn’t help it. These Nobodies just got under his skin, tugging at his emotions. He swallowed.
“Go,” said Riku, his voice thick.
“You don’t think you should accomplish your goal right here?” said Axel. Riku looked over to him.
“I owe you two,” said Riku.
“You do?” said Naminé.
“Yes. For what happened at Castle Oblivion, and for everything.”
“Okay, thanks then,” said Axel, as if he were in a hurry to get out of there before Riku changed his mind. He opened a dark portal and looked at Naminé, waiting. She glanced at Axel, directed a long look at Riku, and then glanced at her drawing.
“I’m sorry,” she said, standing. Riku swallowed, shut his eyes, opened them again, and turned to see Naminé first, and then Axel, walk into the darkness. The portal closed behind them.
“You never did anything wrong,” said Riku to no one. He opened a portal of his own for Hollow Bastion.
~*~
The positive side to his inability to get Naminé and Axel out of his head was that it left no room to worry about what would happen when he arrived. He was vaguely aware that Sora was out there somewhere, maybe still with Yen Sid, and could arrive at Hollow Bastion anytime, but there were things Riku needed to sort out. There were personal things that needed to be taken care of for the sake of eliminating some of the stress from his life.
When he arrived the first thing Riku noticed was that coming back to Hollow Bastion felt something like going home. Instead of associating this place with Maleficent, though, this time he associated it with all the friends he’d made-Leon, Tifa, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid-and Cloud. It was a good homecoming only hindered by his appearance and the worry of what Leon would say-Leon who had become a brother to him-when he saw him again. The second thing he noticed was the lack of construction in the market and all the completed housing. There were new businesses. He even noticed a school as he wandered the familiar streets toward the house that still felt like home.
There were many other places Riku could have checked for Leon but by Riku’s calculations it was late afternoon, bordering evening, and if Leon wasn’t home yet, he should be soon. If his calculations were even more on point, then even if this was the first place Sora showed up, he wouldn’t make it here until tomorrow noon by Gummi. Comfortable that everything should go smoothly save for his confrontation with Leon Riku opened the door to the house.
Leon was already at the counter smoking. He looked up at the entrance, mildly interested, probably expecting Aerith or Yuffie. Riku just stood there, awkward, unsure of what to say, but wanting to throw himself on Leon as he had done with Mickey and just bawl his eyes out until the strong, unyielding emotion passed. He restrained, settling for a few more awkward steps into the house as he closed the door behind him. Leon didn’t move; he barely lifted his right eyebrow.
“Can I help you?” said Leon.
Riku shifted. It felt like forever but just like yesterday that he’d been living here everyday. Seeing Leon again was almost refreshing-encouraging to be reminded that his old life was not completely gone. He was still Riku on the inside even if everything on the outside had changed.
“Hey,” said Riku. He knew an explanation would have been better, but Leon’s face changed at the soft, simple way Riku had spoken anyway.
“Riku?”
He shifted again, uncomfortable in every posture, arms and legs feeling too long and awkward.
“Yeah.”
“What are you...I mean...?” Leon sighed and held out his cigarette pack. “Want a smoke?”
Riku laughed, unable to control himself at the absurdity of the statement. Only Leon would go months without seeing a friend, fight with the same friend over the phone, discover the fight was about the darkness consuming said friend from the friend’s big-mouthed boyfriend, and then when they did see each other again, be so wonderful as to offer the friend a cigarette. The release felt good-to just laugh after all the tension he’d built over seeing Leon again, but it didn’t feel as good as he thought he would. It was just another emotional upswing guaranteed to plummet again. For now, anyway, he allowed himself this moment of solace and accepted Leon’s invitation, joining him at the counter and taking the offered package.
“You have no idea how much I’d like a smoke right now.”
Leon passed the lighter over and remained silent as Riku lit up. He tapped his fingertips against the countertop.
“So...What brings you to Hollow Bastion? Roxas make an escape or something?”
Riku snorted.
“He wishes. No...ah...Sora’s awake and...” Riku sighed, fiddled with the lighter, and passed it back to Leon. “I have to go meet DiZ in the World that Never Was to track Organization XIII. Help Sora out and everything. I just wanted to come here first and...apologize. Yeah. For that conversation we had over the phone. I was upset and irrational and...”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Leon. “I wasn’t innocent, either. I shouldn’t have been so pushy with you. Cloud told me what happened, and...”
“Yeah. He mentioned that he spilled to you.”
“Yeah, so...It wasn’t all you. I didn’t understand and I wasn’t patient enough...”
“No. You didn’t do anything wrong. I really shouldn’t have been such a jerk. You were just concerned and I was too upset to care.”
“It’s okay. It was both our faults.”
Riku sighed.
“Maybe.”
“Don’t make me smack you. Take some of the blame, let me take the rest, and we’re even. I’m not mad at you. I was never mad at you. You were scared and defensive. I was pushy. Let’s just put it behind us and move on.”
Riku huffed, but Leon looked so insistent he could only nod.
“Okay.”
“Okay. So...Is that it or is there something else?”
Lifting a hand Riku brushed his fingertips along the edge of his hood. He played with the material for several moments while staring at the counter and bringing his cigarette to his lips for a deep inhale. Leon lit up another as soon as he put his first out. Riku sighed and pushed the hood back.
“Well I needed to get this out of the way, too,” said Riku. “So there you go. You were right. I was embarrassed and I know Cloud told you, but this is why. And before you tell me this isn’t what Ansem the Wise looked like, I already know. Mickey let me in that profound revelation a few hours ago.”
Once again Leon didn’t say anything, only stared, taking short, quick drags off his cigarette. He tapped a long ash into the tray, stared at the countertop, and blinked a few times.
“Well...” he finally said, “I wasn’t really expecting that, but...”
“Cloud already told you.”
“It’s just different in person.”
Riku sighed.
“Yeah.”
“You don’t have to be embarrassed. Cloud told me what happened.”
“I know.”
“It’s just going to be weird getting used to.” Riku made an odd sound in the back of his throat and moved to put the hood up again, but Leon caught his arm and shook his head. “Don’t. It’s okay. There’s nothing to be ashamed of and if I’m going to get used to it, I’m going to have to see it.”
“Why? I don’t want to see it. It isn’t me. I hate it.”
“Which is understandable, but...” Leon sighed and moved his eyes up the length of Riku’s arm, along the expanse of his neck, and then met him at the eyes. “I still see you there. And I didn’t expect that either, but...It doesn’t look like you. Not at all. But your expressions, mannerisms, the way you carry yourself, and your eyes have always been expressive, but they are even now, too. That’s all still there so...Seeing you there makes it easier.”
“Cloud said he can see me in it, too.”
“Well it’s the truth. He wasn’t just saying it to make you feel better. And it does make it easier. Weirder, but easier as well.” Riku shifted in his chair and looked away, continuing to puff on his cigarette for a distraction at least if not for the nicotine dependency. “I will get used to it. It just means you’re going to have to visit frequently so it happens faster.”
Riku snorted.
“You’re just hot for me. Don’t make excuses.”
Leon laughed and Riku felt the tension break. He smiled.
“You caught me. Especially right now. That Ansem...Ansem who isn’t Ansem? I don’t know. Is that right?”
“Yeah. I’m guessing it’s a long story, but that’s the gist.”
“Yeah, well, him? He’s dead sexy.”
“I know. He did a lot for my already stunning good looks, didn’t he?”
“Definitely. Just needs to lay off the self tanner a little. He’s starting to look a little orange.”
Riku’s mouth fell open and he slapped the counter.
“I know! Isn’t it horrible?”
Leon laughed and shook his head.
“It really is.” He paused and tapped the counter again. “It’s good to have you here. I missed you. I’d call but we know how that goes.”
“I’m a brat and you’re an asshole?”
“Right.”
Riku sighed.
“You can call me again when I leave. I do want to talk to you. Obviously. Or I wouldn’t be here. But yeah...I’d like that. If you called me.”
Leon nodded.
“Okay. Maybe I will. You can call me too, you know?”
“Yeah.”
“So how long are you staying?”
“Just overnight. Have to meet DiZ.”
“Right.”
“It was actually kind of out of my way to come here but our fight’s been really bothering me, and I knew Cloud told you about this so I’ve wanted to see you anyway, but...”
“But there’s more. I figured. Usually is.”
“Yeah, well, I talked to Cloud last night...”
Leon visibly tensed at this. Riku frowned and cocked his head.
“Is that right?”
“Yeah. I need your advice because...Well...Yeah. Basically I’m freaking out about this Zack thing. I’m not comfortable with it, and I’m fucking terrified. And now Cloud’s going to go run off and I’m going to be alone, and...Yeah. You know him better than anyone, and I know he tells you everything, so...” Riku sighed. “I couldn’t even sleep last night thinking about it. I’m scared that Cloud doesn’t really know what he wants. That it’s just a matter of time. Zack was so important to him.”
Riku’s voice had become very tight as he said this, as if he wanted to cry but was trying to remain tough. Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“This is why I told him not to tell you,” Leon muttered under his breath.
Riku looked up and scowled.
“What?”
“I told him not to tell you but he was so concerned with not keeping secrets from you...”
Riku’s eyebrows rose.
“You told him not to tell me? What? You don’t think I should know?”
Leon sighed.
“Don’t take it the wrong way. It’s not like I think you shouldn’t know. It just wasn’t a big deal. Zack was drunk and Cloud didn’t do anything wrong. It meant absolutely nothing to him. So, no, I really didn’t think it was necessary to worry you over something that meant nothing.” Riku’s eyes darkened to an angry, murderous tint. Leon sighed again. “If you want my advice it’s don’t worry about it. It really meant nothing. Cloud loves you. He’s resolved to be with you. The only way he wants to be associated with Zack is as a friend. Nothing more. And I have known Cloud for years so you can trust me when I say that I’ve never seen him more assured of what he wants. Take comfort in that. He’s in it for the long run whether you look this way or not. Zack’s just having a hard time accepting that.”
Riku cleared his throat.
“Please excuse me while I ask you what the fuck you’re talking about.”
Leon visibly paled.
“What are you talking about? You said you talked to Cloud last night.”
“Yeah. He told me Zack was the fucking undead. I’m interested in what he didn’t fucking tell me.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“Yeah.”
“Fuck.”
“Keep going.”
“Cloud’s going to fucking kill me.”
“You’re almost there.”
Leon swallowed.
“Zack kissed him. Cloud stopped him. He was drunk-Zack, I mean. Cloud didn’t respond. He said he shoved Zack off of him and left. He only called me for advice on whether or not to tell you because-”
Riku held up a hand and tried to ignore the queasy feeling in his stomach.
“Wait. Back up. Zack did what?”
“It really wasn’t anything. Cloud didn’t initiate it, he didn’t want it, and he’s not going to let it happen again. I told him not to tell you because it wasn’t important. At least not to Cloud. It didn’t mean anything to him other than he needs to be on his guard around a depressed and drunken Zack. Well, that and he was upset because it was going to upset you. But you shouldn’t be upset. I mean...” Leon huffed. “It’s okay if you’re upset. Perfectly normal if you want to be upset, but you shouldn’t be upset with Cloud. He really didn’t do anything wrong. If I were you I wouldn’t be mad at him. I’d pretty much hate Zack right now, but he’s going through a hard time. It really is understandable. But understandable or not, it’s perfectly okay if-”
Riku’s hand clenched on the counter.
“I’m gonna slit his throat.”
Leon swallowed again.
“Who?”
“Zack. I’m going to slit his throat.”
“Yeah. Right. It’s perfectly normal if you want to do that. You shouldn’t. Murder isn’t ever a good option.”
“I’m going to slit his throat and laugh while he bleeds.”
“I can see you’re upset right now. That’s okay. Let it out.”
“It really didn’t mean anything to Cloud?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
Riku nodded, looking but not seeing.
“Okay then.”
Riku reached in his pocket, pulled out his cell phone, and flipped it open.
“What are you doing?” said Leon.
“Calling Cloud. I promised him we’d talk tonight.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
“It’s not like I’m going to slit his throat.”
Leon bit his lip and lit another cigarette as Riku declined the offered pack, dialed, and held the phone to his ear.
( Prompt Table) for previous installments. 067/100 Complete.
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Claim: Cloud/Riku
Theme: [067.] Final
Word Count: 6,340
Rating: R
Summary: Sora’s awake and the war begins. Riku has two enemies in sight: Organization XIII and that effing Zack Fair.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Kingdom Hearts whatsoever other than I am a super obsessive fangirl. It all belongs to Disney and Square Enix. I’ve accepted this, and you should, too.
Riku stared at the screen displaying Sora’s progress for several seconds. No thought ran through his mind other than the visual confirmation that only a few rooms away the pod Sora had slept peacefully in for almost eight months was opening. Sora was awake. His brain and body felt sluggish and distant until he felt a harsh tug on his arm and he met Naminé’s eyes. She was wearing an insistent expression as if she’d been trying to catch his attention for a while now.
“We have to move.”
That was when it really sunk in. Sora was awake, which meant Sora was mobile. There was no way out of the mansion from the pod room other than through the computer room, and they couldn’t be here when that happened. DiZ, Naminé, and Riku...they were all behind the scenes. They were to help and not be seen unless purposefully shown to him. It would raise too many questions, and looking the way he did...there would be too much to explain.
Riku nodded.
DiZ entered a few final keystrokes into the computer and moved for the stairs. Riku watched him go, directed a final look at the door to the pod room, and closed his fingers around the cell phone in his pocket, vaguely registering he’d have to leave all those changes of clothing behind in his haste to leave before following after DiZ.
It all happened in a blur, fleeing the place he’d just started to get comfortable in and moving almost mechanically behind DiZ, before Naminé, through Twilight Town. His stomach clenched, mind moving like sludge, but his nerves were on overdrive, moving faster than his limbs could handle leaving a jittery feeling of not being able to physically keep up with how quickly his body wanted to go.
The most he could process of his emotions at that moment was a feeling of grandeur-that something big was starting, though the path had already been set in motion weeks ago when Riku first left Hollow Bastion. It seemed like a far off memory now. He could hardly believe such little time had passed since he’d appeared as himself and been with Cloud. It was around this time as he moved through the Tram Common that Riku remembered Naminé’s urging to go back there now, to see Leon about the enigmatic Zack’s return and to tie up the loose ends from their quasi-fight came to him.
“DiZ,” Riku called out, but DiZ kept moving, putting as much distance between them and Sora as he could in what little time there was.
His chest pulled tight and his breath hitched. That distance with Sora had been growing since he left the Island. It was the worst in Hollow Bastion, when Sora had proclaimed his friends were his power and Riku’s heart was almost lost. He almost had that distance closed-it was within his grasp-but then it was all over as the door to darkness closed. Watching Roxas, seeing Sora in that pod, had almost made Riku feel close to Sora again, but now Sora was awake, and that distance was there again, growing stronger with every step he took away from the old mansion.
“DiZ,” Riku called again, this time a little louder, but DiZ still either didn’t hear him or didn’t respond.
He had been resolved to let Naminé go-DiZ seemed to have almost forgotten about that ‘disposed of’ thing-but as he glanced back to her, it became so much harder. He knew she had to go back-back to Kairi where she belonged, and all things considered Riku really was a big boy. He was perfectly capable of handling matters without her assistance. He was more than capable of making his own decisions and being resolved without her guidance. Riku just hadn’t realized how much he’d come to depend on both these things with DiZ since their reunion.
“DiZ!” Riku shouted this time, unable to control his volume and wanting nothing more than to be heard. DiZ stilled and turned.
“What?”
The way he said it flared annoyance up inside him again as he tried not to scowl. DiZ had a way of being curt-almost rude-that just grated on his nerves (and not even close to the way Yuffie grated on Cloud’s). Riku huffed.
“You’re going to the World that Never Was, right? To check up on Organization XIII?”
“Correct,” said DiZ. “We have to discover what they’re up to and guide Sora along the way. That irksome redhead is bad enough.”
Riku almost smiled. As much as DiZ hated him, he really was becoming awfully fond of Axel.
“I agree, and I’ll meet you there, but there’s something I have to do first. Loose ends I need to tie up.”
“But...”
“This isn’t negotiable. You go on ahead, scope out their stronghold, and come up with a strategy. I’ll only be a day. Two at the most.”
DiZ considered him. Riku steeled himself, refusing to budge under the scrutiny. Ansem wouldn’t budge, and as far as DiZ knew, Ansem was exactly who Riku was. He needed to play the part.
“All right, but first you need to tie up some loose ends here.” DiZ motioned to Naminé. She released a small gasp and ducked behind Riku. “She needs to be disposed of and we can’t just let Axel wander around back to Organization XIII. He will need to be destroyed.”
Riku felt Naminé tense behind him. The fury that would have boiled his blood could not manifest, however, because the mention of Axel was too strange, too abrupt that all Riku could do was blink and say, “I thought he was already gone. Roxas took care of him.”
“He survived and snuck off to Sunset Hill here in the real Twilight Town. Do what you need to do, but first take care of those two. I’ll see you in the World that Never Was.”
With sheer trust-without bothering to even ensure that Riku followed through on his task-DiZ disappeared through a dark portal. Part of Riku’s mind rejoiced in that hope that he could somehow get out of this, and then he felt Naminé’s hand on his arm. He turned.
“I-”
“It’s okay,” she said. The way her arms were wrapped around her body suggested otherwise as she looked away, voice trembling. Riku wanted to grab her, shake her, demand to know why she could believe he was even capable of getting rid of her, but he knew the answer to his great shame already. It was there in his foreign appearance birthed from the darkness in his heart. She cleared her throat and tried to meet his eyes, but they darted back to her feet. “I’m not afraid of my fate. It’s probably for the best...”
“But Kairi-”
“I wasn’t born like other Nobodies. She can exist without me. I’m not even a real Nobody; I don’t have any real place to go back to. I don’t even know if I can become whole with Kairi.”
“But-”
“I’ve already done what I needed to do. I’m just sorry about Axel.”
Riku frowned. Axel. He was an enigma-an entity completely foreign to Riku’s understanding. He was supposed to be a Nobody, but he was so animated. He seemed full of so much emotion from anger, happiness, and disappointment. He called Roxas his best friend. He tried to follow Organization XIII’s orders, but he did it with such poor resolve, loyalty still tied to Roxas and whatever he thought he felt.
“I don’t get Axel,” said Riku. “He seems harsh, but then...”
“Axel really cared for Roxas,” said Naminé. “He’s started to care for Sora, too, but I understand DiZ’s perspective. Axel has come to a point where it doesn’t matter how he feels about Sora, because Sora’s taken Roxas away. It’s possible that nothing will stop Axel from turning Sora back into a Heartless.” Riku looked up, his nerves twisting. Naminé lowered her head. “But then, maybe...Maybe Axel would do the right thing even if it isn’t through the most admirable means.”
“How do you know so much about him?”
This time Naminé did look up and gave him that sad, faraway smile.
“Castle Oblivion. His allegiance to Organization XIII has always been questionable. For awhile I thought he was opposed to their superior and was aligned with the rebels. He had Zexion killed-”
“Zexion?” said Riku. “That was-”
“He was in Castle Oblivion. Tried to fool you with the fake Destiny Islands and-”
“And you saved me from losing myself in the light.”
“Axel had him eliminated. And he assisted Sora. He wanted Marluxia destroyed.”
Riku couldn’t speak as his thoughts wandered back to Castle Oblivion. It seemed so long ago when he first met Organization XIII and learned of their threat to the order of things. It was before Nobodies, before Roxas, when he first met Naminé though she was hardly important to him at the time. Now here he was with these nasty orders to dispose of Naminé and destroy Axel. Knowing what he now knew, he couldn’t conceive doing it. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t killed before-kidnapping princesses had been no easy task-but he had changed along the way. Something inside him just didn’t care anymore about doing what was ordered for a sliver of help. As he stood there pondering, trying to sort out the feelings of confliction and reassemble them into a plan a familiar figure in a black, hooded coat scrambled from the side alley in the direction of the train station, head turning every way as if looking for something. Something or...someone...
“The King...” Riku muttered to himself before he’d even properly registered just what that meant or bothered to even question why King Mickey would be wandering around Twilight Town. Of course, all things considered, Riku really didn’t need to wonder why the King was there. Surely he was looking for Sora, and...Riku reached into his pocket, fingers closing around the munny pouch and blue crystal he’d nicked from Roxas. He turned his eyes back to Naminé who was looking after the direction the king had gone, too.
“Go after him,” she said. “I’m sure there’re things you need to talk about.”
He hesitated, oscillating attention between where Mickey had disappeared and where Naminé stood. Riku took a breath and nodded. If he was going to grow up and take action instead of feeling so torn all the time while other people picked up the pieces, now was probably as good a time as any.
“Okay. Naminé, I want you to go to Sunset Hill. Detain Axel until I meet you both there. I’ll let you know what I’ve decided to do about you both then.”
She met his eyes, sadness still in them as the corners of her lips tugged downward into a small frown. She took several steps back, and Riku nodded as if to urge her on, and then she turned, running back to Tram Common and the underground passageways that led to Sunset Hill. Riku turned and took a breath. He didn’t want King Mickey to see him this way, but there were things that needed to be explained. He wanted Roxas to have the crystal. The extra munny was sure to only help Sora along the way, and perhaps Mickey had learned of things on his own travels that Riku should be informed of.
As Riku followed the hill around curves in the pathway toward the train station, he reminded himself that there was no shame in his position. This appearance was a byproduct of doing what was needed to help Sora. To fight darkness Riku had to draw on his own powers of darkness. There was nothing wrong with that. Cloud had said he was proud, that there was nothing else Riku could have done, and certainly Mickey would feel the same. Riku wasn’t on the wrong side this time.
The area outside the station entrance was empty, but Mickey had come this way; Riku was sure of it. He glanced around the area, looking for a sign of the king but none came. His eyes roved the area he knew so well, and there was the possibility of looking inside the station, but would Mickey wait there for Sora to come around? What if he were looking for someone else-Riku himself, or DiZ, who had tapped them both in Castle Oblivion? If he were Mickey, he wouldn’t be hanging around in the station.
Riku looked up, exasperated, sighing, and then his eyes roved the skyline of Twilight Town to fall on the station tower. That was it. If he were Mickey, looking for Sora or any of the above mentioned people and was having little luck, he’d keep an eye out on the station tower. It really was a great place to keep a lookout, and had Hayner and friends not used it so frequently for their ice cream eating escapades he might have used it himself when keeping an eye on Roxas.
The entrance to the station tower was through the station itself so Riku headed up the stairs and inside the glass doors. Near the back was a plain, wooden door, and inside it, a long climb to the clock tower, steps wrapping around in squares straight to the top. His thighs were already aching when he reached the first door up the stairs to find that Mickey had gone higher than simply the station roof. He moved onward, gripping the railing tighter as he reached the top trying to ignore the burn in his legs from the steep climb. At the top he threw the door open and there was Mickey in mid-jump from the sudden, startling entrance.
In retrospect Riku realized the narrow station tower ledge was probably not the best place to do it, break down crying and throw himself on the majestic mouse, but he couldn’t think it through before it was done. Even if he could have, it probably would have gone the same way considering Riku didn’t know the tears were coming until they were already there. Mickey just stood there, stiff, patting Riku’s back, and then he jumped back a little.
“Riku?!” said King Mickey. The only response the poor king got was a miserable, little nod as Riku tried to calm himself. He couldn’t even fight, barely jerked away, as Mickey grabbed the black coat’s hood and pushed it back. He released a barely audible gasp. “Oh, Riku...What happened?”
Riku sniffed and rubbed his nose.
“It’s a long story and we don’t have time for it. I ran into DiZ. I had to get Roxas.”
“I know. Leon told me all about it.”
“I had to get Roxas. He was with them. Organization XIII. I had to get Roxas. So I used the darkness and now...”
Mickey nodded, but didn’t look surprised.
“I was afraid this was going to happen.”
“You...What?”
“I thought this might happen, but there’s no need to cry. You’re okay, aren’t cha?”
“There was nothing I could do. I had to use the darkness. I’m sorry. I...”
Mickey gave him a warm smile and gently pushed Riku back to look in his eyes.
“You’re still Riku inside. All this means is that you were willing to do anything for Sora. You might be using the darkness, but you’re doing it for the light.”
Riku blinked away the last of the saline swimming in his eyes. He knew it, had heard it before, and had even tried to rationalize his actions to himself with the same sentiments, but coming from King Mickey was-as it had been in Castle Oblivion-the best comfort. It was more real-more honest. His breathing eased as he sat back.
“So I guess you’re here for Sora.”
“You betcha,” said Mickey, grinning. “I wanted to see how his progress was and check up on you.”
“Sora’s awake,” said Riku. “It just happened. He’s probably wandering around Twilight Town now wondering where he is.”
“We better make this short then. The train’s already here and I have to send him to see Yen Sid, my old teacher, to catch him up on the Nobodies. I’d do it myself but I’m looking for Ansem the Wise.”
Riku frowned.
“Ansem the Wise?” Riku almost scoffed. “Mickey...I’m...He’s dead, remember? I look like him.”
Mickey did nothing but stare, blank-faced at Riku for several moments. Riku almost thought the king had lost his mind between Hollow Bastion and Twilight Town, but then his eyes lit up and he nodded.
“That’s right. You don’t know. After you left Hollow Bastion I did some research in the castle library and went to the World that Never Was myself to learn more about Organization XIII. That’s when I remembered that back before everything started I went to meet with Ansem the Wise. I forgot what he looked like, but when I was in the library I came across a photograph.”
“I’m sorry but I don’t see where you’re going with this.”
“Ansem wasn’t Ansem the Wise. I haven’t figured out who he was yet, but he wasn’t the real Ansem. He was just going around telling everybody he was. I know I’ve seen him before in Hollow Bastion. That’s why I got him confused with Ansem the Wise. The Ansem Sora defeated-the one you look like-was that guy’s Heartless.”
It was as if Mickey had just tied Riku’s spirit to a brick and dropped it in the oceans of Atlantica. The story was far-fetched, but so were Heartless and Nobodies. Ansem wasn’t Ansem. Ansem was just some random guy’s Heartless? Riku was possessed and fell into the realm of darkness, couldn’t beat the darkness in his heart, and now looked like this because of some random guy’s Heartless?
“Are you sure?” said Riku. “A Heartless?”
“I’m sure,” said Mickey. “The leader of Organization XIII is his Nobody. That must be why all those guys in Castle Oblivion thought you smelled like their superior.”
Riku’s head may as well be under water with his spirit the way it was swimming, full of questions, but none of them clear enough to formulate. He took a breath and tried to process the information. Mickey turned away, glancing down at the Twilight Town streets, and gave a little squeal.
“There’s Sora, Donald, and Goofy. I’ve got to go.”
“Wait...” said Riku. “Here.” Riku pulled the crystal from his pocket and opened the munny pouch, dropping the little blue orb inside. “I took these from Roxas. I want Sora to have them.”
“Golly,” said Mickey. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Sure. I just...I’m going to Hollow Bastion next and then the World that Never Was to meet up with DiZ and keep an eye on the Organization. Maybe I’ll do some research on my own. You go ahead. I just wanted to see you before I left.”
Mickey nodded and took the pouch from Riku’s outstretched hand. For a moment he felt empty, heavier without those objects that tied him to Roxas’s outdated existence. Riku took another breath and swallowed but his throat remained tight, his chest constricted, breathing shallow. Mickey looked torn, eyes worried as he wavered glances between Riku and Sora below.
“Go on,” said Riku. “Just...Promise me something.” Mickey looked concerned but said nothing. “Promise me that you won’t tell anyone about this,” he said, motioning to himself. “Promise that Sora won’t find out what happened to me in the darkness. I want to help him; I’ll do anything to help him...”
“I know you will, Riku.”
“But I don’t want him to know what happened to me. Please.”
He could have been overstepping his boundaries. Mickey was the king of Disney Castle. Mickey was a big deal and Riku-Riku was just an outcast from the darkness, but Mickey hadn’t given up on him. Mickey was supposed to be his friend. Riku didn’t think he could bear if Sora knew, and now here he was trying to appeal to the king’s compassion. It wasn’t a demand, but a plea, and Mickey seemed to register this as he regarded Riku and finally nodded.
“I promise. And I’ll keep you updated,” said Mickey, and then he was gone through the door.
Riku turned and directed his eyes down to the ground below where Sora, Donald, and Goofy were being swarmed by Nobodies. He closed his eyes for a moment, trusting Sora to take care of himself now that he was live and mobile, and Mickey to take care of the rest. He opened a dark portal beside him with the intent of heading to Sunset Hill.
~*~
Of all things to do while awaiting fate Riku found Naminé at the top of Sunset Hill sitting poised and leafing through her sketchbook. Axel stood by her, gazing out at the direction of the train tracks. She looked up at Riku’s approach, barely smiled, and looked back down.
“He’s gone,” said Axel, leaning over the railing where Roxas had seen the ‘ghost train.’ Somehow, intuitively, Riku just knew Axel was talking about Sora, and with Sora, Roxas.
“I suppose we’re next,” said Naminé.
“You don’t have any place to go, do you?” said Axel. “And you don’t have anywhere to go back to, right?”
Riku had decided at this point that the worst thing someone could ever be was not as he was-fallen from light and darkness, walking the line-but a Nobody. They lived empty lives, yearning for something more, and their plight was so real, so heart-wrenchingly unendurable that it put Riku’s own pain to shame. He had promised to come back with answers, but he was more torn than ever, seeing no point for either of them to go on, but unwilling to destroy the mild chance that they, too, could become whole again one day.
“Things like that don’t exist for guys like us,” said Axel, breaking Riku’s thought process and turning. He barely registered Riku’s presence. Naminé must have told him Riku was coming. She didn’t even look up, staring at one of her drawing of Sora and Roxas.
“Hmm...” said Naminé. “That’s right. There is no place for me. Still...I have some places I want to go...I have some people I want to see.”
Kairi. Destiny Islands. Sora. All of these things and more popped into Riku’s head as Naminé said this and his own desire to keep Naminé around flared up inside of him.
“Yeah,” said Axel, “same here.” He glanced over to Riku, acknowledging his presence for the first time since he arrived and flashed that familiar, asinine smirk so similar to Riku’s own. Sora as himself or Roxas had a bad habit of making friends with people on the arrogant side. “So why don’t you just let us go? That old guy told you to get rid of us, didn’t he?”
Naminé looked up startled and almost as if this was the first time she’d heard it. Just letting them go, off to do whatever they wished hadn’t really occurred to Riku, and he’d hate to think what DiZ would do if he found out even if it probably could compare to what Maleficent might have done, but Riku couldn’t help it. These Nobodies just got under his skin, tugging at his emotions. He swallowed.
“Go,” said Riku, his voice thick.
“You don’t think you should accomplish your goal right here?” said Axel. Riku looked over to him.
“I owe you two,” said Riku.
“You do?” said Naminé.
“Yes. For what happened at Castle Oblivion, and for everything.”
“Okay, thanks then,” said Axel, as if he were in a hurry to get out of there before Riku changed his mind. He opened a dark portal and looked at Naminé, waiting. She glanced at Axel, directed a long look at Riku, and then glanced at her drawing.
“I’m sorry,” she said, standing. Riku swallowed, shut his eyes, opened them again, and turned to see Naminé first, and then Axel, walk into the darkness. The portal closed behind them.
“You never did anything wrong,” said Riku to no one. He opened a portal of his own for Hollow Bastion.
~*~
The positive side to his inability to get Naminé and Axel out of his head was that it left no room to worry about what would happen when he arrived. He was vaguely aware that Sora was out there somewhere, maybe still with Yen Sid, and could arrive at Hollow Bastion anytime, but there were things Riku needed to sort out. There were personal things that needed to be taken care of for the sake of eliminating some of the stress from his life.
When he arrived the first thing Riku noticed was that coming back to Hollow Bastion felt something like going home. Instead of associating this place with Maleficent, though, this time he associated it with all the friends he’d made-Leon, Tifa, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid-and Cloud. It was a good homecoming only hindered by his appearance and the worry of what Leon would say-Leon who had become a brother to him-when he saw him again. The second thing he noticed was the lack of construction in the market and all the completed housing. There were new businesses. He even noticed a school as he wandered the familiar streets toward the house that still felt like home.
There were many other places Riku could have checked for Leon but by Riku’s calculations it was late afternoon, bordering evening, and if Leon wasn’t home yet, he should be soon. If his calculations were even more on point, then even if this was the first place Sora showed up, he wouldn’t make it here until tomorrow noon by Gummi. Comfortable that everything should go smoothly save for his confrontation with Leon Riku opened the door to the house.
Leon was already at the counter smoking. He looked up at the entrance, mildly interested, probably expecting Aerith or Yuffie. Riku just stood there, awkward, unsure of what to say, but wanting to throw himself on Leon as he had done with Mickey and just bawl his eyes out until the strong, unyielding emotion passed. He restrained, settling for a few more awkward steps into the house as he closed the door behind him. Leon didn’t move; he barely lifted his right eyebrow.
“Can I help you?” said Leon.
Riku shifted. It felt like forever but just like yesterday that he’d been living here everyday. Seeing Leon again was almost refreshing-encouraging to be reminded that his old life was not completely gone. He was still Riku on the inside even if everything on the outside had changed.
“Hey,” said Riku. He knew an explanation would have been better, but Leon’s face changed at the soft, simple way Riku had spoken anyway.
“Riku?”
He shifted again, uncomfortable in every posture, arms and legs feeling too long and awkward.
“Yeah.”
“What are you...I mean...?” Leon sighed and held out his cigarette pack. “Want a smoke?”
Riku laughed, unable to control himself at the absurdity of the statement. Only Leon would go months without seeing a friend, fight with the same friend over the phone, discover the fight was about the darkness consuming said friend from the friend’s big-mouthed boyfriend, and then when they did see each other again, be so wonderful as to offer the friend a cigarette. The release felt good-to just laugh after all the tension he’d built over seeing Leon again, but it didn’t feel as good as he thought he would. It was just another emotional upswing guaranteed to plummet again. For now, anyway, he allowed himself this moment of solace and accepted Leon’s invitation, joining him at the counter and taking the offered package.
“You have no idea how much I’d like a smoke right now.”
Leon passed the lighter over and remained silent as Riku lit up. He tapped his fingertips against the countertop.
“So...What brings you to Hollow Bastion? Roxas make an escape or something?”
Riku snorted.
“He wishes. No...ah...Sora’s awake and...” Riku sighed, fiddled with the lighter, and passed it back to Leon. “I have to go meet DiZ in the World that Never Was to track Organization XIII. Help Sora out and everything. I just wanted to come here first and...apologize. Yeah. For that conversation we had over the phone. I was upset and irrational and...”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Leon. “I wasn’t innocent, either. I shouldn’t have been so pushy with you. Cloud told me what happened, and...”
“Yeah. He mentioned that he spilled to you.”
“Yeah, so...It wasn’t all you. I didn’t understand and I wasn’t patient enough...”
“No. You didn’t do anything wrong. I really shouldn’t have been such a jerk. You were just concerned and I was too upset to care.”
“It’s okay. It was both our faults.”
Riku sighed.
“Maybe.”
“Don’t make me smack you. Take some of the blame, let me take the rest, and we’re even. I’m not mad at you. I was never mad at you. You were scared and defensive. I was pushy. Let’s just put it behind us and move on.”
Riku huffed, but Leon looked so insistent he could only nod.
“Okay.”
“Okay. So...Is that it or is there something else?”
Lifting a hand Riku brushed his fingertips along the edge of his hood. He played with the material for several moments while staring at the counter and bringing his cigarette to his lips for a deep inhale. Leon lit up another as soon as he put his first out. Riku sighed and pushed the hood back.
“Well I needed to get this out of the way, too,” said Riku. “So there you go. You were right. I was embarrassed and I know Cloud told you, but this is why. And before you tell me this isn’t what Ansem the Wise looked like, I already know. Mickey let me in that profound revelation a few hours ago.”
Once again Leon didn’t say anything, only stared, taking short, quick drags off his cigarette. He tapped a long ash into the tray, stared at the countertop, and blinked a few times.
“Well...” he finally said, “I wasn’t really expecting that, but...”
“Cloud already told you.”
“It’s just different in person.”
Riku sighed.
“Yeah.”
“You don’t have to be embarrassed. Cloud told me what happened.”
“I know.”
“It’s just going to be weird getting used to.” Riku made an odd sound in the back of his throat and moved to put the hood up again, but Leon caught his arm and shook his head. “Don’t. It’s okay. There’s nothing to be ashamed of and if I’m going to get used to it, I’m going to have to see it.”
“Why? I don’t want to see it. It isn’t me. I hate it.”
“Which is understandable, but...” Leon sighed and moved his eyes up the length of Riku’s arm, along the expanse of his neck, and then met him at the eyes. “I still see you there. And I didn’t expect that either, but...It doesn’t look like you. Not at all. But your expressions, mannerisms, the way you carry yourself, and your eyes have always been expressive, but they are even now, too. That’s all still there so...Seeing you there makes it easier.”
“Cloud said he can see me in it, too.”
“Well it’s the truth. He wasn’t just saying it to make you feel better. And it does make it easier. Weirder, but easier as well.” Riku shifted in his chair and looked away, continuing to puff on his cigarette for a distraction at least if not for the nicotine dependency. “I will get used to it. It just means you’re going to have to visit frequently so it happens faster.”
Riku snorted.
“You’re just hot for me. Don’t make excuses.”
Leon laughed and Riku felt the tension break. He smiled.
“You caught me. Especially right now. That Ansem...Ansem who isn’t Ansem? I don’t know. Is that right?”
“Yeah. I’m guessing it’s a long story, but that’s the gist.”
“Yeah, well, him? He’s dead sexy.”
“I know. He did a lot for my already stunning good looks, didn’t he?”
“Definitely. Just needs to lay off the self tanner a little. He’s starting to look a little orange.”
Riku’s mouth fell open and he slapped the counter.
“I know! Isn’t it horrible?”
Leon laughed and shook his head.
“It really is.” He paused and tapped the counter again. “It’s good to have you here. I missed you. I’d call but we know how that goes.”
“I’m a brat and you’re an asshole?”
“Right.”
Riku sighed.
“You can call me again when I leave. I do want to talk to you. Obviously. Or I wouldn’t be here. But yeah...I’d like that. If you called me.”
Leon nodded.
“Okay. Maybe I will. You can call me too, you know?”
“Yeah.”
“So how long are you staying?”
“Just overnight. Have to meet DiZ.”
“Right.”
“It was actually kind of out of my way to come here but our fight’s been really bothering me, and I knew Cloud told you about this so I’ve wanted to see you anyway, but...”
“But there’s more. I figured. Usually is.”
“Yeah, well, I talked to Cloud last night...”
Leon visibly tensed at this. Riku frowned and cocked his head.
“Is that right?”
“Yeah. I need your advice because...Well...Yeah. Basically I’m freaking out about this Zack thing. I’m not comfortable with it, and I’m fucking terrified. And now Cloud’s going to go run off and I’m going to be alone, and...Yeah. You know him better than anyone, and I know he tells you everything, so...” Riku sighed. “I couldn’t even sleep last night thinking about it. I’m scared that Cloud doesn’t really know what he wants. That it’s just a matter of time. Zack was so important to him.”
Riku’s voice had become very tight as he said this, as if he wanted to cry but was trying to remain tough. Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“This is why I told him not to tell you,” Leon muttered under his breath.
Riku looked up and scowled.
“What?”
“I told him not to tell you but he was so concerned with not keeping secrets from you...”
Riku’s eyebrows rose.
“You told him not to tell me? What? You don’t think I should know?”
Leon sighed.
“Don’t take it the wrong way. It’s not like I think you shouldn’t know. It just wasn’t a big deal. Zack was drunk and Cloud didn’t do anything wrong. It meant absolutely nothing to him. So, no, I really didn’t think it was necessary to worry you over something that meant nothing.” Riku’s eyes darkened to an angry, murderous tint. Leon sighed again. “If you want my advice it’s don’t worry about it. It really meant nothing. Cloud loves you. He’s resolved to be with you. The only way he wants to be associated with Zack is as a friend. Nothing more. And I have known Cloud for years so you can trust me when I say that I’ve never seen him more assured of what he wants. Take comfort in that. He’s in it for the long run whether you look this way or not. Zack’s just having a hard time accepting that.”
Riku cleared his throat.
“Please excuse me while I ask you what the fuck you’re talking about.”
Leon visibly paled.
“What are you talking about? You said you talked to Cloud last night.”
“Yeah. He told me Zack was the fucking undead. I’m interested in what he didn’t fucking tell me.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“Yeah.”
“Fuck.”
“Keep going.”
“Cloud’s going to fucking kill me.”
“You’re almost there.”
Leon swallowed.
“Zack kissed him. Cloud stopped him. He was drunk-Zack, I mean. Cloud didn’t respond. He said he shoved Zack off of him and left. He only called me for advice on whether or not to tell you because-”
Riku held up a hand and tried to ignore the queasy feeling in his stomach.
“Wait. Back up. Zack did what?”
“It really wasn’t anything. Cloud didn’t initiate it, he didn’t want it, and he’s not going to let it happen again. I told him not to tell you because it wasn’t important. At least not to Cloud. It didn’t mean anything to him other than he needs to be on his guard around a depressed and drunken Zack. Well, that and he was upset because it was going to upset you. But you shouldn’t be upset. I mean...” Leon huffed. “It’s okay if you’re upset. Perfectly normal if you want to be upset, but you shouldn’t be upset with Cloud. He really didn’t do anything wrong. If I were you I wouldn’t be mad at him. I’d pretty much hate Zack right now, but he’s going through a hard time. It really is understandable. But understandable or not, it’s perfectly okay if-”
Riku’s hand clenched on the counter.
“I’m gonna slit his throat.”
Leon swallowed again.
“Who?”
“Zack. I’m going to slit his throat.”
“Yeah. Right. It’s perfectly normal if you want to do that. You shouldn’t. Murder isn’t ever a good option.”
“I’m going to slit his throat and laugh while he bleeds.”
“I can see you’re upset right now. That’s okay. Let it out.”
“It really didn’t mean anything to Cloud?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
Riku nodded, looking but not seeing.
“Okay then.”
Riku reached in his pocket, pulled out his cell phone, and flipped it open.
“What are you doing?” said Leon.
“Calling Cloud. I promised him we’d talk tonight.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
“It’s not like I’m going to slit his throat.”
Leon bit his lip and lit another cigarette as Riku declined the offered pack, dialed, and held the phone to his ear.
( Prompt Table) for previous installments. 067/100 Complete.