Title: 100 Steps To Somewhere

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Claim: Cloud/Riku

Theme: 051. Chocolate

Word Count: 3,679

Rating: M

Summary: Um, yeah. Deep Dive. 'Nuff said.

Disclaimer: I wish, okay? It's all lies. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, I don't know anyone who owns Kingdom Hearts, and I am not affiliated with anyone who is affiliated with anyone who owns Kingdom Hearts. I think that about covers it.

Author's Note: If you're reading this, please take the time to look at the prompt (again, if you already did), and do what I did when I got to this point. Okay, everyone, say it with me: "What?" Right. What am I supposed to do with chocolate in Deep Dive? Because chocolate is kind of right in the middle of my perfectly orchestrated story arc planned around the prompts. Except chocolate. Which falls exactly where the Deep Dive sequence needs to occur. But prompts are up to interpretation, right? So here's what I came up with: bittersweet. Let's see if I managed to pull it off, shall we? Onward.

Step Fifty-One: Deep Dive

Riku waited.

Somewhere below, he knew Cloud sat in the alleyway, waiting in the shadows in the off chance an Organization member that wasn't Roxas came along. It made the situation more intense, this waiting and knowing, because even from atop this building with the wind whipping at his face Cloud's scent carried through the air. His worries and concern laced the smell of light and dark that Riku identified as solely Cloud; it pulled at his heart. He should have never gotten involved, should have never dragged Cloud into this.

Anxiety wasn't even the right word for this anymore. It couldn't exist for this moment in time, because it would only make this fight harder, but Riku couldn't shake the sense he sat on the brink of something completely life-altering. This encounter would come tonight; there was no doubt in his mind that Roxas would show up eventually. All he had to do was remain patient.

There weren't many ways it could end. Either he would die at Roxas's hands or he'd manage to knock the boy out long enough to take him back to DiZ. It might happen as himself or as Ansem, but that didn't matter. Nothing really matter right now except the end result.

Time stretched out as he crouched there in the rain. It was so appropriate, the weather. It hadn't rained once since he came to the World That Never Was, but on this night it was as if the skies were already crying for him—an omen of what was to come. Or maybe they weren't crying for him at all. Maybe they were crying for Roxas. After all, Riku didn't know what would happen to him if taken to DiZ, but maybe that didn't matter, either. He was a Nobody. He wasn't supposed to exist in the first place.

Riku willed a resolve of steel into his body, even as his muscles cramped from sitting in a crouched position for such a prolonged period of time. He recalled the image of Sora's face to mind—reminded himself why he was doing this in the first place. Clear blue eyes, brown chocolate hair, and a smile that could make you melt. Riku didn't ever want to forget that face again. He hated himself for forgetting it in the first place.

He didn't know how long he sat there staring into nothing and waiting for the scent in the air to change. Eventually the empty smell of darkness—a smell he'd become so familiar with in Castle Oblivion—carried through the wind and mixed with the moist smell of rain. He heard footsteps splashing through the puddles below. Even Cloud's smell changed below—there was fear mixed in with his emotions now. Riku shook his head. How had things come to this?

As the steps grew closer, the scent became stronger, and mixed with the darkness was a sliver of light. Something that smelled like cinnamon and paopu fruits. Something that was so reminiscent of Destiny Islands and Sora that Riku didn't hesitate in standing. Roxas was here; it was time. He took a step toward the edge.

The smell of the Heartless joined the other scents. The sound of Keyblades swinging through the air and slicing them down reached his ears. Riku almost laughed as the absurd thought struck him that he thought he had it bad walking around this place with one Keyblade. Poor Roxas had two of them. He couldn't imagine how many Heartless he managed to call out to with those things. They weren't just any Keyblades, either. Oblivion and Oathkeeper if he remembered correctly—two very powerful weapons.

Riku kept his head down, following Roxas's movements through smell. He tried to sense his emotions, but found none. It didn't escape him that Cloud's smell hadn't faded, either, but that couldn't bother him now. He turned his face to the sky and took a breath.

It all seemed to happen very quickly. Riku took another step toward the edge, and then he felt a pair of eyes upon him. Roxas knew he was there. The kid was even better than Riku had taken him for. It didn't bode well for what was about to occur, and just as quickly as he'd felt Roxas's eyes upon him, he felt Roxas move toward him. Riku didn't know how, but in some way Roxas was scaling the building, and he was doing it fast. He took another step toward the ledge and another breath.

"Here goes nothing," said Riku.

The wind beat against his face; the rain fell heavy. Riku waited for his instinct to kick in as Roxas grew closer, and then he felt Oblivion part with Roxas's hand. The Keyblade flew through the air with a malicious force behind it—one Riku had never felt from a Keyblade before. Instinct kicked in; Riku dove from the ledge, falling fast, headfirst toward the ground.

It wasn't one of those instances where time seems to pause or fall into slow-motion. It all felt faster. So sped up that there was just enough time to register what had already happened. He couldn't plan, couldn't assess the situation. There wasn't an allowance for delay; time was short, cruel, and unforgiving.

Riku acted on instinct. He shot his arm out on the descent and caught Oblivion in his grip. He felt Roxas pass as he plummeted toward the ground. Felt Roxas turn around and fall after him. Riku swallowed as he picked up speed, judged the distance he had to go and the speed with which he was falling on the Heartless below. He curled into himself, held Oblivion out, and the Keyblade struck the ground. Riku bent his elbow into the impact and flipped over. Knees bent, his feet touched the ground. He exhaled.

The Way to the Dawn lay forgotten, strapped to his side beneath his cloak. Riku readjusted his grip on Oblivion and pulled it from the ground, swung out, and connected with a group of neoshadows. They dissipated into the black-purple flames that Riku could smell a world away. From behind, Roxas's scent grew stronger, and then he, too, was on his feet, and they stood back to back.

"I told you to get out of here," said Roxas.

"What's the matter, Sora? Aren't you happy to see me?"

"I am not Sora."

"Glad we've got that straightened out."

Riku waited for Roxas to attack, but it didn't come. He waited for Roxas to try and take Oblivion back, but that didn't happen, either. Instead, he fought off the Heartless that continued their assault, and when he felt Roxas jump into the fray, Riku dove, too. He understood. The showdown hadn't started yet. There were other problems to face first, and there were three Keyblades calling out to them. It was impossible to hold a proper showdown until they were gone.

With every shadow and neoshadow that fell, it seemed thrice the amount cropped up in its place. The sound of Oblivion and Oathkeeper slicing through the air cut through his ears; the smell of darkness bathed the field. Its stench crawled into his senses, reeking in a way that on top of this world smelled worse than anything he'd come across since Ansem. Over time, as Riku's arms began to grow weary and his resolve started to crack, the Heartless began to smell fewer. Roxas's scent became stronger, and Riku tried to steady his confidence.

Cloud's scent was still in the air. Riku would have been angry that Cloud ignored his request, but he shouldn't have expected anything less. Besides, the light cut through the darkness just enough to remind Riku why this was so important. He recalled Sora's face once again. DiZ said he was needed if Sora was to awaken; he had to trust him. There was no option to back down. This could only end in so many ways.

He felt the last of the shadows diminish and spun around involuntarily. He swung upward; Oblivion clanged against Oathkeeper's strike.

"Nice blindfold. What happened? Your eyes didn't change back or something?"

Riku twisted his wrist, gave it a flick, and extended his arm. Roxas blocked the attack.

"It's a fashion statement. So how are you coping with the knowledge that your other half lives?" Anger built in Roxas, radiating through the Oathkeeper. He felt it swinging toward him, and Riku parried. "Not well, then."

"Shut up. I'm not Sora, and even if I once was, I wouldn't go back to him."

"Why not? Sora's a sweet guy. You'd like him. Then again, he is you, so maybe you wouldn't. I don't know how you're self-esteem issues are these days."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not Sora?"

"Only once if I believed you."

Roxas didn't hold back. He wasn't as strong with only one Keyblade, his attacks easier to fend off than last time, but he was more bloodthirsty and ruthless than before. Nobodies weren't supposed to have emotions, but Riku sensed fear in him. The hostility that intermingled with that fear made Roxas more headstrong, and he struck out at every opportunity. His energy was limitless. While Riku managed to get in more blows than the last times, Roxas got more. He struck harder, faster, but Riku didn't back down. The more he mentioned Sora and continued to taunt, the more that fear grew. He needed to exploit it; he needed to make Roxas slip up. It was his only chance.

His muscles ached; his head was dizzy. He bled freely from his left arm, but Riku ignored the pain. He blocked out everything around them. At the moment (as far as Riku was concerned), the only living creatures were he and Roxas, and the only world that existed was the World That Never Was.

"Come on, Sora. You can do better than that."

"Stop saying his name. I don't want to hear it."

"Sora, why do you have to be like that? I thought we were friends."

"I'm not Sora, and I'm not your friend. I hate you. I hate you, and as a matter of fact, I hate Sora, too."

"You can't hate Sora. Nobodies can't have feelings. They have no hearts. Now, you do have a heart, but Sora's got it, so if you want to hate me you'll just have to go back and be Sora again."

Roxas struck out. Pain shot through Riku's arm into his shoulder like a stream of fire burning through his flesh. He laughed.

"You're very defensive about this," said Riku. "What wrong? Are you feeling threatened?"

Roxas pressed Oathkeeper back against Oblivion, attempting to break Riku's hold. He could hear Roxas's teeth grit.

"Hardly. You just happen to annoy the living shit out of me."

"Sora, what kind of word is that to say? I should tell your mother."

"Shut up!"

Roxas pulled back a fraction and then shoved forward. The inertia was stronger than expected. Riku flew back. His spine slammed into the ground; his head snapped back against the concrete. Blinding pain coursed through his body. Roxas didn't stop. He continued to approach, and as he came closer, Riku struggled to sit.

"Think about it!" said Riku. "Really think about it! Why? Why do you have the Keyblade?"

"Shut up!"

Anger tore through Roxas. He lunged, but Riku leaped forward. The pain burned straight through his back, but he swung out, meeting Roxas's blow and sending him flying across the space. A heavy thud crashed through the air. The sound of rain remained.

Riku swallowed as he stared into black, seeing and unseeing. The adrenaline from the fight and the will to survive started to ebb when Roxas did not move to stand. Exhaustion took over, and relief blocked out the pain. He did not have to give in to Ansem. He'd won. It was over.

He trudged toward where Roxas lay. Riku launched Oblivion to the right of Roxas's left arm, pinning his robe to the ground. Everything was going to be okay now. He just needed to take a few breaths and call for Cloud. They could take Roxas back to DiZ together, and should Roxas wake before they got there, he'd have some reinforcement, but the battle was over. Everything was going to be okay.

It was one of those moments where time stood still as Riku tried to calm, but then Roxas began to move again. Riku's breath caught and he took a step back as Roxas sat up. He gripped Oblivion for support, and Riku had a fraction of a second to realize that he'd just given Roxas back the other Keyblade. It wasn't over. He had two again, and Riku's adrenaline was wasted. Roxas got to his feet and swung, but it was a tired swing, and Riku jumped back out of range. His head felt ready to split apart.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. Roxas ran at him, recovering faster from the knockout that Riku anticipated. The will to survive returned; there was no time to grab for his Keyblade. A Dark Fiagra shot from his heart and through his hands. It hit Roxas head on, but didn't deter him. Roxas continued to charge. It seemed that his will to survive, too, had returned stronger than ever.

Riku dodged the attacks now having no means of blocking them. He tried to think fast, come up with a solution, but Roxas was on the hunt and Riku had no time for the Way to the Dawn. One move for it and he was bound to get cut down. He jumped back and paused, waiting for the next blow, but Roxas stayed put.

"Quit fooling around," said Roxas.

Riku took a breath. This was okay. Talk was good. Talk gave time to stall, and Riku smiled because usually it was he attempting to stall. This time it was Roxas. He was more tired than he let on. Hope returned.

"What's wrong, Sora? Are you done already? Pretty pathetic."

Riku could practically see Roxas's growling at him.

"What are you talking about? You're the one who's losing!"

Roxas gasped. Riku paused, and then it sunk in. He hadn't denied it that time. It was the final confirmation he needed.

"You really are his Nobody . . . I guess I have to trust DiZ."

"Why do you keep talking about him? I'm myself! I'm me!"

The familiar clang of the Keyblade cut through the rain. Oathkeeper was back and as good as talk was . . . Roxas had found a renewed energy. Riku felt it building across the gap between them. His hope crashed.

Roxas came running toward him, struck with Oblivion, but Riku dodged. Before he had time to recover, Oathkeeper swung down into his right shoulder. Riku reeled back, the new pain overpowering his will. He fell to his knees, cried out, and grasped at the new injury with his good hand. He tried to lift his arm, but the pain was too intense. His fighting arm was, once again, out of commission.

The thought that Roxas took cheap shots briefly flitted through his mind.

"You can't beat me, no matter how much you try!" said Roxas.

"I guess so . . ." said Riku. He heard Cloud's voice in his head, promising that everything would be okay. They had a back up plan. A plan only to be used should there be no other way he was going to win this fight. "Looks like I have to do it."

"Do what?" said Roxas.

Riku struggled to his feet.

"The power sitting in my heart . . . The power suppressed by my heart . . ." Riku reached up and pulled the blindfold away. He struggled to breathe. "If I were to be someone else . . ."

The pain was intense, burning in his muscles, in his head, in his heart as Riku tapped into that darkness he'd tried so hard to lock away. An agonized scream drowned out the sound of rain, and it was only later that Riku realized it had come from him. A tornado of the black-purple smoke shot up in flames around him; he felt his feet leave the ground, and then the pain was gone. The flames diminished. The ground was several inches farther away than it had been seconds ago and his skin was not his own. A new pain settled, this time in his chest, and Riku knew what it was really like to feel your heart break.

He continued to float for a few seconds, unaware as to why until he realized Ansem's guardian was there. He warped across the space, appeared before Roxas, and their eyes met. His fingers wrapped around Roxas's neck and he lifted him from the ground. Roxas grunted, struggled, wrapped his hands around Riku's and tried to pry him away, but Riku was stronger now. He held tight. Oathkeeper and Oblivion fell from Roxas's hands, hit the ground, and disappeared.

"The power of darkness," said Riku.

-----0-----

Roxas continued to struggle. Riku simply waited until he fell into unconsciousness, and then he touched ground. The guardian disappeared, and Riku laid Roxas to the ground. He stared down for several seconds, waiting for him to get up again. It didn't happen this time. The victory and relief he hoped to feel weren't there, either. It hadn't been a victory, only a completed task.

He tried to organize his thoughts, plan his next move, but the familiar sound of a dark portal cut through the quiet. The rain had stopped by now. Riku looked in its direction, half-expecting Maleficent to step out, but it was only DiZ. Riku turned away and pulled the hood over his head and face. DiZ's footsteps came closer and Riku turned his head to the side in his direction.

"He sensed Sora," said Riku.

"Did he say that he hated Sora?" Riku didn't reply. "What a joke. A Nobody cannot feel emotion."

"If he were to meet Sora . . . That might be different."

"A foolish thought. Now come. We must return him to the mansion. I have something set up for him, and he'll have pursuers wanting to take him back. It is not wise to stay here too long."

Riku shook his head.

"In a minute. I have something I have to take care of first."

DiZ nodded. He stepped forward and pulled Roxas from the ground.

"Do you know the way?"

"No, but I know someone who does."

"You have ten minutes. Don't be late."

Riku nodded. He heard the dark portal open, close, and then DiZ was gone. Closing his eyes, he brought a hand to his head. Tears started to well behind his eyelids. This was so wrong. This body felt wrong. This wasn't his hand. As the saline began to flow freely across his cheeks, another set of footsteps broke the moment, only these were footsteps Riku would know anywhere. He looked up.

"I told you to leave. I told you I didn't want you to see this."

"I couldn't take not knowing," said Cloud. He stopped in front of Riku and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I just . . . I couldn't stop once it started."

"I'm sorry . . ."

"Don't apologize. I saw it all. You did everything you could. I'm proud of you."

"But I . . ."

"Got really ugly, Ansem-looking. I knew it was a real possibility, Ri. I just hoped it wouldn't happen."

"Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Yeah. Okay."

"You know what this means, don't you?"

"What?"

Riku released a weak laugh and shrugged.

"Sora can't know about us. I don't . . . I don't want him to see me this way. If we were on good terms the last time we saw each other, maybe, but . . . I don't want more lies, but after everything, this really isn't the way I want him to see me again."

"Yeah, I get it." Cloud stepped closer. He reached a hand out, retracted a little, and then extended it to cup the back of Riku's head. "This is going to be awkward."

"Please don't remind me."

"I'll just have to get used to it. That's all. It's not every day your boyfriend goes and gets such a dramatic makeover. And you're a lot taller than me now. That's just not fair."

"How? How can you make jokes about this? How can you stand to be near me when I look like this?"

"Because if we don't laugh about it, we're going to get bitter and depressed, and I was forced to promise I wouldn't let you pull away. Besides, I told you that this wouldn't change how I feel about you, and it doesn't. I'm proud of you. I love you. And Ri?"

"What?"

"It still feels like you. If I close my eyes . . ." Cloud did so and his hand slipped down to the back of Riku's neck. "If I close my eyes, I can still see you in there. I just have to get used to it."

"You're so deranged. If this were the other way around, I don't think I could ever get used to you looking like Sephiroth."

Cloud laughed.

"Yeah, I guess it would be hard dating someone who could pass for your brother."

"Huh?"

"Sephiroth. You look just like him. Well, I mean, not right now, but you did. You know, the way you look."

Riku groaned.

"Oh, I have so lost you already. We're never going to make it through this."

"Hey, don't say that. It hasn't even been a year yet. We still got a month of easy."

"Why are you being so good about this?"

"Because I know it's only for now. I know you can beat this. Now come on. DiZ only gave you ten minutes. We've got to get you back to Twilight Town."

"Okay. Lead the way."

Cloud nodded.

"Yeah. No problem."

I am both extremely nervous and extremely happy about how this came out. It is possibly the hardest thing I've ever had to write.

And now I've watched all the Deep Dive cutscenes more than any normal person should, so a big thanks to kh-vids for that one.

And before anyone says, "Wow. Cloud took that awfully well," just let me say that, yes, he did. ::cackles:: For now. Oh the fun I will have torturing these two with this move Square decided was necessary for Riku's character development.

And yes, there is a lot more in store for Riku despite his significant absence from the second game.

Oh, how I look forward to Leon finding out. I have this fantastic little scene that's been in my head since December that I am thrilled about coming up soon. Because of course Leon's going to find out whether Riku tells Cloud no one can find out or not. I think we all remember what happened the last time Cloud tried to keep something from Leon.

Heh.

Um, so yeah. Thanks to the few people who managed to actually read and get a review in between that double post and this post. I had to finish the arc off, you know? I couldn't just let it hang there. You know, for my own sake.

Next two prompts are Leaving (Cloud) and Returning (Riku). So I guess you know something about what to expect.

Until then.

Love.