Title: I'm coming up the stairs
Author: Digimon Empress Yaten (de yaten)
Notes: Giftfic from khrequest on livejournal. Haha, if you want the inspiration, thumb through the "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," collection. I read too many horror stories for my own good. This is set in Chain of Memories-verse. I hope you and enjoy and reviews are love, especially if you favorite!
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters. I don't claim to own them.
Riku stops, panting, out of breath from days of running up and down and all around, and getting nowhere between the white walls within the white halls that never seem to end. Except he thinks maybe he's gotten somewhere this time, because behind him is a door he has never seen, a door without cards or keys that promise to squeeze his heart and strain his eyes with memories best forgotten.
He twists the knob, finds it unlocked, and enters a small unassuming room. If he can even call it a room, for it is no larger than a closet and empty of everything but white, white walls. The only distinction in the room are stairs winding up and around to block his view of anything that may be above him, anything in his path. He shuts the door behind him, makes sure he shuts it, because he wants to leave no breadcrumbs for them to follow. He ascends the bleached-bone stairs, fast-paced and weapon ready, because there are wicked, wicked things within this Castle and he will be prepared for every poison apple and deadly dragon that comes his way.
He runs and runs with a face tight in concentration, until the fourth corner is rounded and he almost smacks straight into an unexpected wall before him. There is nothing there at the top, no room, no other door, no princess in a tower - only a small stretch of floor large enough to stand on and not much else. He scoffs, indignant and out of breath. It had been a trick, he thinks, to have him waste time with these endless stairs while they concocted some plan to kill him or worse. Well, it wouldn't work.
He spins, ready to dash down the stairs and burst through the door in a fury. He takes the first step down - and hears the door slam below him.
He freezes, breath caught in his throat. He knows he should run fast and strong down the stairs, weapon out and ready to slice through whatever entered below. He knows he is strong, experienced, no longer an island child afraid of boogeymen. He knows his body shouldn't be tightening against him, replacing fury with fear so thick it constricts his throat. He knows all this, and yet he backs himself against the solid wall behind him and listens.
Nothing, and then -
One step.
Riku...
His chest feels tight, pained. They know his name. They know he's here.
Two step, three step, four.
I'm coming up the stairs, coming for you.
Slow steps, steady and constant.
Riku is splayed against the wall now, hands spread and sweating. He should run down, he should have his blade out, he should -
Riku, I'm rounding the first corner.
His ears strain to hear, his eyes focus on the white stairs and white walls before him. How many corners had he rounded? He didn't, couldn't remember, there hadn't been too many but if he could just think -
I'm at the second corner now, child.
The steps are faster, in time with his heartbeat.
Rounding the third corner, Riku. It won't be long now...
He fumbles to summon his Keyblade, mind grasping at thin threads of light the King left behind. They are too thin, too weak, and he closes his eyes in desperation to cover the white space in darkness.
The steps halt.
Riku breaths in, out, labored and listening for any sounds.
There are none. He is safe, they've gone away, or maybe he's crazy and imagined the entire thing. He will open his eyes and walk down the stairs and defeat the Castle and all in it and it will all be –
I'm at the top of the stairs now, Riku...
Riku opens his eyes to a golden gaze, and his heart lurches so hard that he dry heaves and falls forward into Ansem's waiting arms.