Title: 100 Steps To Somewhere
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Claim: Riku/Cloud
Theme: 05. Hate
Rating: M
Word Count: 4,595
Summary: Riku's finally found Sora, but it isn't what he expected.
Musical Inspiration: HIM – Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights
Disclaimer: If I owned Kingdom Hearts, Riku would have been the main character, there would have been an abundance of slashy relationships, and I wouldn't be writing fanfic. Fanfic. So, yeah.
Author's Note: I have no excuse for writing this prompt a day late other than I have a spiffy 30 gig iPod that was in desperate need of some music. Desperate, I tell you. I might have died had I not put disc upon disc of songs on it. So, I apologize. I was going to write two today, but this one turned out so long I said screw it.
Author's Note 2: It occurred to me when planning to write this that I had no idea what weapon Riku used in the first game. I know he had a dark Keyblade somewhere near the end, but when he meets Sora in Traverse Town, he seems to have never seen a Keyblade and somewhat marvels at Sora's. So I made one up.
Step Five: Emotional Plethora
Disappointment was a nasty emotion. Riku hadn't meant to be so melancholy on the trip back to Hollow Bastion, nor had he meant to be so short with Cloud, but an empty feeling settled in his gut at the thought of this dead end. Sure, if Maleficent still hadn't heard anything (as Riku suspected she hadn't), they'd go to Traverse Town and check in with Cloud's friends, but Riku doubted that would lead to anything, either.
After all, Cloud searched for Sephiroth far and wide, and still came up empty-handed.
He tried to shake the disappointment and the depression inevitably accompanying it, but, disappointment was the kind of ugly emotion that tended to latch onto a person. Riku found that even when he wasn't aware of it, it lay dormant inside, and the second something sparked a thought of Sora—whether it was Cloud talking about his friends in Traverse Town or even the thought of the Gummi's destination—that same nasty nagging set in.
He was worried. Sora could be dead by now for all he knew. While Sora wasn't a bad fighter, he certainly wasn't good enough to handle this Keyblade master thing Cloud told him about. Riku always bested him in fights; a true heart didn't mean amazing battle skills. How was Sora supposed to survive without his help?
A silent prayer escaped his thoughts, sent to whoever might be listening. All he wanted was for Sora to be safe, and once he found him, Riku would be happy to take over things from there. It may have sounded arrogant, but Riku had picked up a thing or two staying at Maleficent's, and if there was anyone who could assist Sora with the Heartless, who better than someone who knew the insides of the operation?
Cloud sat napping in the seat beside him. Riku propped his chin on his fist, watching as Cloud's chest rose and fell with his breath. This was one good thing that had come from the ordeal, at least. Or so he hoped, because although he'd kissed Cloud quite a few times after the first one, and he reveled in those little adoring smiles Cloud bestowed upon him, he didn't know exactly what they were.
Riku felt restless. They'd arrive in Hollow Bastion in several hours, and Riku lit up a cigarette, hoping time would go faster. It'd be nice if Cloud were awake; he could use a good, distracting conversation. Unfortunately, Cloud hardly slept while they traveled the worlds, and Riku couldn't bring himself to wake him. He looked sweet slumped over like that, with his shoulders rolled forward and mouth slightly open. Riku wondered if he looked like that asleep—peaceful and untroubled by the darkness.
Four minutes. That was all that had passed.
It felt like their journey back was taking longer than the entirety of the past month.
----------0----------
"Where are you staying?" asked Riku.
Landing just outside the town area of Hollow Bastion (which was more like ruins than anything else, though a few shops remained), Cloud and Riku walked off the Gummi Ship.
"I'll show you when we walk by. Gotta pass it to get to the castle from here," said Cloud.
They set off, walking toward town.
"Make sure you stop by later and let me know if there's any news, okay?" Cloud added. "I mean . . . you could stop by for other reasons if you wanted to, as well. You know, if you wanted to visit. But definitely make sure you let me know how things go with Maleficent."
Riku smiled. Cloud had a tendency to do and say things that made him feel nervous, happy, and excited all at the same time.
"Sure," said Riku. "I mean, we're friends, right?"
"First and foremost."
"So if there's no word of Sora, we're still heading off to Traverse Town, right?"
"Yeah."
"And if there is . . ."
Which was so unlikely that Riku thought it was hardly worth the effort of checking.
"You go off and see him. If you come back, stop by and let me know."
"If I come back? Come on," said Riku, laughing. "Whether I'm staying with Maleficent or traveling with Sora, I'll be back if only to see you."
"Good. You know, if you were traveling with Sora, maybe we'd run into each other."
"Maybe you could come with us. Just in case we run into Sephiroth."
"Maybe."
"And maybe sometimes I could just travel with you."
"Just so we can see each other?"
"I like talking to you," said Riku.
"I like talking to you, too."
The sounds of Cloud's boots made loud crunching sounds against the uneven gravel path through what Riku imagined was once a quaint town. The Heartless had destroyed most of it; some foundations remained, but the roof would be missing, or large holes were hacked into the sides of the building. Other buildings were simply gone all-together, crumbled into mounds of rock and dust.
They turned a corner and came upon a little house, mostly still in tact.
"This is where I'm staying," said Cloud, motioning to the place.
"You sure you'll be alright out here with all the Heartless crawling around?"
"I can take care of myself," said Cloud, not bothering to use the old wooden door hanging off its hinges. Instead, he entered the house through a gaping hole in the wall. Riku followed him inside.
There was a lumpy pile of blankets pushed against the far wall. A wooden table stood in the middle of the room on which Cloud put his bag, and propped his Buster sword against. One of the windows was broken, and a pile of glass lay shoved in the far left corner.
"Stay here before?" asked Riku.
"When you need a place to sleep, you'll crash just about anywhere," said Cloud. "Beats sleeping on the Gummi, with those hard floors. At least here I can stretch out. And if the Heartless do get bad at night, it's not a far walk back to the ship."
Riku nodded.
"I guess I should just head over to the castle, then. I'll see you later?"
"You better. Or I'm holding it against you."
"Duly noted."
Riku hung by the hole in the wall, awkward. Should he just leave? Give Cloud a kiss or something? They'd been together every moment for a month now; it seemed odd to just separate from him.
Cloud glanced up from the table where he was sorting through his belongings.
"I know," he said, "it's weird for me, too. Which, in turn, is weird cause I'm used to being alone."
"Me too," said Riku. "Lately, anyway."
Cloud smiled, walked over to him, and placed both hands on either side of Riku's jawbone.
"You come back, okay?"
"Yeah."
Cloud bent his head down, and Riku almost breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't like this clumsy feeling he got lately with Cloud, as clumsy and awkward were, until recently, foreign emotions for him.
Riku leaned up to meet his lips.
"I guess I should be going, then."
"See you soon."
Riku nodded and climbed back through the gaping hole. He glanced back at the remains of the little house, and then resolved to not worry about Cloud when he had other matters to attend to, namely the trip to see Maleficent. It wasn't something he looked forward to at all; he hadn't left on bad terms, exactly, but he was nervous all the same. She didn't seem the type to just forgive and forget his tirade earlier on the day he left.
Walking into the castle was, in a strange way, like going home. Unease set into his heart at the thought; home was back on Destiny Islands in the warmth of the house he had shared with his family. This castle was cold and empty. It held no love or laughter.
Was this really what home had become?
He found Maleficent in the Grand Hall as usual. She didn't seem surprised to find him there.
"I'm so glad you're back," she said, in that even, cold way she said things. Riku found it patronizing. "I have a gift for you."
"You knew I'd be back," said Riku.
"Of course. This is your home now."
He tried to push away the thought that she might somehow be reading his mind.
"Don't you want your gift?"
Riku eyed her. The prickling feeling was on the back of his neck again. Was this a trick question?
"What is it?"
"You left this behind when you went to find that boy," she said, extending a toy wooden sword.
When the Heartless invaded Destiny Islands and wiped it off the map, he woke up in Hollow Bastion with nothing from home other than that stupid wooden sword. For some reason, Riku still had it strapped to his belt in the Secret Place and when he was sucked into the darkness portal. He hadn't thought to take it with him to find Sora. Still, it was the only thing he had left of his life before, and Riku wondered what she had done to it.
"How is that a gift?"
"Take it," said Maleficent, "and you shall see."
Riku reached for the toy sword, hesitated, and then snatched it out of her hands. No sooner had the toy been in his hands, and then a group of shadows appeared around him.
"Use it," said Maleficent.
He looked at her for a second as if she was crazy, but she seemed insistent. When he went to make a move, the toy became engulfed in green light. The weight in his hand became heavier, and when the glow disappeared, a long, black, metal sword with a sort of curled tip remained. He felt a surge of darkness shoot up through his arm as he defeated the shadows with ease. Once gone, the weight lifted, and he grasped the toy, wooden sword in its place.
What. . .
"What did you do to it?"
"It is infused with the power of the darkness. You need something to protect yourself with. It will only transform when you use it, and in that way, it will appear harmless."
"Easier to carry, too," said Riku. His heart sank a little. Even his toy sword was engulfed in darkness.
"I have another gift for you."
"What's that?"
"I've heard news of your friend, Sora."
Riku pulled his eyes away from the toy and looked to Maleficent. His heart picked up.
"He's been traveling the worlds sealing Keyholes with some new companions. I'm sad to say, he hasn't asked anyone about you."
"What?"
"He has new friends now. I'm sorry, but it seems he's replaced you."
The joy that had filled him upon hearing that Sora had been seen was punctured and sank; in its place, fiery rage lashed out at Maleficent.
"Sora wouldn't do that. He isn't like that."
"I regret to be the one to tell you. . ."
"I don't believe it."
"I was afraid you'd say that. Very well. I suppose you have a right to see for yourself. He's been seen in Traverse Town just this morning. He may still be there. I can take you there myself if you like."
Traverse Town . . . if he set out with Cloud, Sora might be gone by the time he arrived. They'd actually been on the right track, though.
It would be all right. Once he saw Sora and talked to him, he was sure the confusion would all be cleared up. Sora was a friendly guy and tended to make friends wherever he went. Riku had found Cloud. Just because Sora had some new friends didn't mean he'd been replaced. Maleficent was obviously misinterpreting the information.
"Okay. Take me. I want to see him."
"As you wish."
----------0----------
They exited a dark portal in the First District of Traverse Town. The place seemed devoid of Heartless.
"If you don't mind," said Riku, "I'd like to be alone for this. I need to do it on my own."
"I'll be here when you need to find me," she replied.
Riku wandered across the cobbled streets of Traverse Town and stopped in the Accessory Shop. Behind the counter was a tall, rugged man with blond hair chewing on a piece of straw.
"Hi," said Riku.
"Can I help you, kid?"
"Yeah, actually. At least I hope. I'm looking for my friend, Sora. He was supposed to have been seen here recently."
"Sora, yeah. He was just here. Headed over the Third District for me. Asked him to drop a book off at the old magician's place."
"The Third District?" said Riku, his heart lifting. "How do I get there?"
"Out the door over there, go down the steps right in front of ya, and head through the big doors to the left. You can't miss it."
"Thanks."
Riku was beside himself racing out the door of the shop and down the stairs. He noticed Maleficent watching him from an outdoor café as he headed to the left. The doors were huge, and he passed through into the Third District.
Heartless must have been unable to get into the First District, because though it was empty in the previous section, here, it was covered in Heartless.
He felt somewhat stupid pulling out that wooden sword and fighting the Heartless with it, but once it transformed, it became far less embarrassing. He wiped out a last group of soldiers, stood, and heard a gasp. Sora was standing before him flanked by what looked like an oversized duck and what was possibly an oversized dog walking on its hind legs. They were both clothed. These were his new companions? Riku knew Sora liked everyone, but really. . .
"There you are," said Riku, smiling. "What's going on?"
He tucked that wooden sword away before Sora could see.
"Riku!" Sora said. He ran up to Riku and pinched his cheeks.
"Hey, hey, cut it out!" He pushed Sora away.
See? Sora hadn't replaced him.
"I'm not dreaming this time, right?"
"I hope not. Took forever to find you."
"Riku!" said Sora, laughing. "Wait a second, where's Kairi?"
Riku frowned. Where's Kairi? Sora had seen him disappear into the portal without Kairi.
"Isn't she with you?" said Riku without thinking. Obviously not. "Well, don't worry. I'm sure she made if off the island, too. We're finally free. Hey, she might even be looking for us now."
Riku was more than a little concerned that Kairi, whom Sora was supposed to be in love with, was missing, and Sora had assumed he and Kairi were together without questioning it.
"We'll all be together again soon," said Riku, hoping to reassure them both. "Don't worry. Just leave everything to me. I know this—"
The sound of a defeated Heartless cut through his ears and Riku turned to see Sora, Keyblade drawn. Sora gave him a smirk and stood.
"Leave it to who?"
Heartless hadn't exactly been what Riku was thinking about, but if that wasn't the brattiest grin he'd ever seen on Sora.
"Sora, what did you—"
"I've been looking for you and Kairi, too, with their help."
Sora motioned to the duck and dog-thing. They nodded. Riku felt more than a little annoyed. He was trying to be reassuring and all Sora could do was give him cocky smirks and point out in a bratty tone about how he'd been looking for them like he was some kind of hero? And emphasize that he'd done it with the help of others?
"But who are they?" said Riku. He really didn't think he should have to ask, but Sora seemed incapable of the manners it took to introduce new friends to old ones.
"Ahem," said the duck-thing. "My name is—"
"We've visited so many places and worlds looking for you."
Riku felt like gritting his teeth. Sora, it appeared, also lacked the manners to allow new and old friends to make their own introductions. Not to mention, there he had gone again pointing out that he had gone and visited so many places and worlds like he was something special. Riku had visited places and worlds looking for Sora, too, but he wasn't bragging about it, and was practically sick with worry at not finding him. Sora was unfazed.
"Really?" said Riku, trying his best to sound nonchalant. No need to start a war. "Well, what do you know? I never would have guessed."
"Oh, and guess what?" said the dog-thing. "Sora's the Keyblade master."
Yeah, so Riku heard.
"Who would've thought it?" said the duck-thing.
"What's that mean?" snapped Sora, practically lunging at his new friend.
Riku picked the Keyblade from Sora and turned it over. He'd have to tell Cloud when he saw him again that he'd actually gotten to hold it. Cloud really enjoyed knowing Keyblades were real. Riku thought maybe it gave him hope.
"So, this is called a Keyblade?" said Riku, holding it up and turning it over.
"Huh? Hey, give it back," Sora snapped. Riku blinked. Sora wouldn't even let him hold his precious new Keyblade. Riku smirked. Two could play this game.
He backed away, eyeing it for a moment.
"Catch," he said, and tossed it back to Sora.
"Whoa."
Sora caught it in his clumsy hands. Riku had been right; Sora couldn't handle this thing on his own, but it sure seemed like all the praise he was getting for being a Keyblade master had gone to his head.
"Okay," said Sora, "so you're coming with us, right? We've got this awesome rocket. Wait 'til you see it."
Riku opened his mouth to say he hadn't decided what he'd be doing yet, but the duck-thing cut him off.
"No, he can't come."
"What?" said Sora.
"Forget it!"
"Oh, come on! He's my friend!"
"I don't care."
Riku walked to the back of the Third District, sat, and pressed his back against the wall there.
"Huh? He's gone," Riku heard the dog-thing say over the bickering.
"Riku?" said Sora. "Nice going. Oh well, at least he's okay. And who knows? Maybe we'll run into Kairi soon, too."
He heard their footsteps fade away and Riku dropped his head into his lap.
That evil, cocky little monster.
Bratty, selfish, self-absorbed snot.
Stuck-up little queen.
If they were on the Islands and someone had told Sora that Riku couldn't come along for something, Sora would have laughed at them, been friendly, and told them if Riku wasn't going, he wasn't either. If they were on the Islands and Sora wanted Riku to go somewhere with him, he'd have asked Riku and gave him the sweet little smile that inspired years of false hope. If they were on the Islands and Riku took off during an argument as he so often did, Sora would have come looking for him. If they were on the Islands and he and Kairi had been missing, Sora would have been torn apart.
A simple, "Oh well, at least he's okay," would have never sufficed the Sora he knew. The Sora he knew would have never brandished something at him or thrown his adventures in his face like it was collateral. The Sora he knew would have never let something get to his head, no matter how big it was. The Sora he knew would have asked Riku questions about what was going on with him instead of only talking about himself. The Sora he knew would have introduced his friends.
This new Keyblade master Sora was nothing but a snobby little twit.
Maleficent hadn't been right, not exactly. He had been replaced, but not by some new friends; he'd been replaced by Sora's own delusions of grandeur.
For the first time, Riku really understood what it was to hate someone.
All he wanted right now was to go back to Hollow Bastion and see Cloud.
He peeked out from behind the wall and wandered across the Third District to a long staircase. He needed to clear his head before going back to Maleficent. He walked up the staircase and paused. There was a little house at the top, light on inside, and through the window Riku could see Sora with his little talking animal friends, and three others whose descriptions he'd heard before. There was the tell-tale scar across the brunette man's face, the calm expression of the girl in the pink dress, and the ninja. He thought back to the man at the accessory shop.
If Cloud knew anything about what he was seeing—Sora and his new friends fraternizing with Cloud's friends—Cloud was in for an earful when he saw him again. Riku may have been allowing a little of his pure, unadulterated hate for Sora seep towards Cloud for a second, but at that moment, he really didn't care. All he could see was rage.
"You see?" said a cool voice beside him, and Maleficent was leaning over him. "It's just as I told you. While you toiled away trying to find your dear friend, he quite simply replaced you with some new companions. Evidently, he now values them far more than he does you. You're better off without that wretched boy. Now, think no more of him, and come with me. I'll help you find what you're searching for . . ."
Revenge, Riku thought. And Kairi. Because if Sora was treating him like this, he wasn't going to let him do it to Kairi. She loved Sora just as much as Sora had loved her. She didn't deserve that.
"Let's go."
----------0----------
"Did you know?"
Riku stormed into Cloud's little hole in the wall and pointed a finger at him.
"Did I know what?" Cloud looked up at Riku from his position on the blankets where he seemed to be picking at something resembling food. "Did she hear anything about Sora?"
"Yeah, I just went to see him. He's got these fucking animal friends—and that damned duck-thing—"
"Donald."
"You knew about them."
Cloud shrugged.
"There were with him at the Coliseum. If I had known they were that important, I would have told you about them."
"Who's that fucked up dog?"
"Goofy."
"Well that's appropriate."
Cloud actually had to audacity to smirk at him.
"That's what I said."
"But that's not what I care about. I want to know if you knew about him caravanning about with your friends in Traverse Town acting like a spoiled little brat."
"He was in Traverse Town? That's ironic."
"Cloud—"
"No, okay? I haven't been back there. I knew they were looking for the Keyblade master but they never mentioned actually finding him. I thought maybe . . . why are you so angry?"
"Because he's a cocky little son of a bitch, that's why. You should have heard him going on about himself like he was a god or something. I was worried sick about him, and he didn't even look for me when I walked out of his argument with that duck—Donald, or whatever."
"Maybe you shouldn't have walked away."
"I always walk away from arguments, and he always comes to find me."
"He seemed nice when I met him."
"He probably wasn't rubbing his brand new Keyblade in your face. I was holding it and he freaked out at me like I was going to steal it or something. I could have punched the little brat square in his fat little face."
"I take it things didn't go well."
"How do you think it went when he's throwing the Keyblade around like a brat and I've got this thing?" said Riku, waving the wooden sword at Cloud.
"What the hell is that?"
"My sword."
Cloud bust out laughing.
"Remember I told you we used to play fight back on Destiny Islands? Well, my sword was with me when I went through the dark portal, and now Maleficent's gone and put dark powers in it so I can fight the Heartless with it."
Cloud couldn't stop snickering.
"What does that have to do with Sora?"
"Nothing directly, he was just being a brat. Not once did he ask me what I was up to or what I've been doing or even where I've been. He just started going off about everything he was doing. I mean, really, you should have seen him throwing that Keyblade around like it I should kiss his ass for having it or something."
"Riku, don't you think you're overreacting a bit?"
"No, I fucking hate his guts."
Riku calmed a little looking down at Cloud.
"I didn't tell him about us. Do me a favor, okay? If you see him, don't say anything about me. Not that you know me, nothing. I don't want him to know."
"Are you sure?"
"He doesn't have the fucking right to know if he won't ask me himself."
"I see," said Cloud, and then he hesitated.
"What?"
"I just . . . don't you think you might be reading it wrong?"
Riku's face fell. Reading it wrong?
"Fuck you. Fine. Take his side. I know he's best buddies with your friends and all, so I guess that makes him your new best friend, too."
"Riku, calm down," said Cloud, standing, and walking over to Riku. He put his arms around him and pulled him close. "I'm not taking anyone's side. I do consider him something of a friend, but I'm closer to you. You mean more, okay?"
Riku remained rigid in his arms. This was a pathetic half-assed attempt to get him to relent and Riku was having none of it.
"Yeah, right."
"Riku," said Cloud a little harsher this time, and stepping away. "I'm with you, okay? Not Sora. I've been with you for the past month. I've been kissing you. I'm dating you."
"You're dating me?"
"Well what the hell did you think we were doing?"
"I don't know. Really? We're together?"
Cloud smiled.
"Yes, we're together. So tell me why I'd want to throw away what I have with you for some kid I hardly know."
"Cause you're a self-absorbed asshole just like Sora?"
"I wouldn't call him a self-absorbed asshole, but you can if you want."
"I really hate him, Cloud. I never thought anyone could ever hate Sora, but that was before. Power really does get to some people, doesn't it?"
"Honestly, Riku, I think he may have just been a little preoccupied to notice that he was upsetting you, but . . . you know him better than I do."
"Damn right I do."
"So what're you going to do now?"
"Maleficent's going to help me find Kairi. There're two more princesses to get. I'll be staying at the castle."
"Want to come visit me tomorrow?"
"Yeah," said Riku. He was starting to feel incredibly worn out. "I'm tired, and I have to get back before Maleficent notices I'm gone. You'll be here, right?"
"Right."
"Promise you won't say anything to Sora about me?"
"I promise."
"Promise you won't go to any other worlds without saying goodbye first?"
"If you keep me updated on what's going on with Maleficent."
"Okay." Riku pressed his lips against Cloud's. "Sorry for yelling at you."
"I know."
"I do care about you."
"I know. Get back to the castle before you're in real trouble."
"Okay."
Riku and Cloud exchanged one last kiss and then Riku said goodbye, stepping out of the little house, and heading back to his room at the castle.
Am too tired to be clever or witty.
Was surprised got 2 reviews. Didn't expect many people to actually read this story. It's not a popular pairing.
Please leave a review if you'd like to let me know there are more Cloud/Riku readers. Don't leave a review if you don't feel like it or are too lazy.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.