I do not own Kingdom Hearts.
Restlessly Waiting
Keiya woke with a start, breathless and panicky, as the horrifying content of her nightmares continued to flare before her eyes and blind her to reality. The dock was worn and weak against the harsh salt water currents, the sky was an ominous violet that reflected its premonitions into the ocean. Waves raged above them, making the dock slippery, knocking them off their balance. She could still feel his grip on her wrist as he jerked her away from the impending crises, inland. His voice in her ear was frenzied and agitated. She felt homeless and unwanted.
The darkness of the room hit her as a shock as she began to slip out of the terrible fantasy. Riku shifted next to her, slowly being drawn out of sleep by her panting and shuffling. She was sitting up, gripping the sheets with white knuckles, patches of her pallid skin glowing in the moonlight. The blankets were draped unevenly over her exasperated body. It was as though a familiar, unbearable screaming were slowing sinking away into the depths of her memory, becoming foreign, inaccessible, but still audible.
"Keiya…? You alright?" his voice came.
"Yeah…"
Riku slowly pulled himself up, recovering his bearings, pushing aside the drowsiness to comfort her. She defensively drew her arms to her chest and hung her head low to conceal the remnants of her discomposure. She always worried he'd be able to guess what haunted her dreams. He placed his hands on her waist, remaining behind her to give her the privacy he could see she wanted. After holding back a yawn and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he rested his head in her neck and waited for her to overcome the distress.
His warm breath certainly helped to dissolve the fear from her trembling body, but the feeling of remorse remained. She could barely stand the experience in her dreams; she could not imagine the pain if it were to consume them in real life.
Riku kissed her shoulder thoughtfully, reveling in the bare skin, trying to coax her back into his arms and away from what was troubling her. He listened to her sharp inhales turn to steady breathing, gently pried her clenched fingers from the sheets and instead interlaced them with his own.
"What happened?"
"Nothing… Just a bad dream…" she replied distantly, quietly. Self-consciously, she tore her hands from his and seized the blankets up to cover herself. She was unspeakably grateful for all the concern and love he showed her, but his constant affection always made her weaker to the nightmares. She couldn't hurt him; the thought made her feel sick and dirty. He had no idea what she was capable of, what they were capable of.
He ran his hands up and down her back in smooth, soothing motions, and waited for an explanation he knew wouldn't come. She never talked to him about it, always pushed him away when he tried to understand. She always claimed she was fine.
As she settled back into her sweet reality, the images melted out of her eyes and allowed her space to think. With the pictures and sounds no longer clear in her mind, all she had left was an empty omen, like a single trace of evidence left after a burglary. It was as if those dreams could rob her of her clarity.
Becoming more aware of Riku's sensuous touch, she tried to let herself relax. She leaned into him, and at her acceptance he enfolded her in his arms. She held him tighter than she'd intended. There was nothing and no one else as dear to her; the sensation of losing him threatened to shatter her heart, each new tragedy forced a crack deeper than the last.
This is real.
This is real.
Nothing else…
Riku let her cling to him as urgently as she needed to, embracing her into his security, better fixing the outermost blanket over her shoulders to warm her. He strove to take care of her, but it sounded much more heroic with just words. She never let him know what was on her mind; he knew she kept monstrous, tormenting secrets from him. She was steadfastly determined to keep him in the dark. He worried he might not know how to protect her.
Feeling his eyelids start to creep shut, Riku laid his companion down and reclined next to her. She huddled close to him, never withdrawing her arms from around his shoulders. She loved the night if it meant being so close to him, so comfortable in this slow and dream-like space. His hands were brushing through her hair, at the same time soothing and tracing her back. His gentle, continuous caress was inducing her to sleep.
She suppressed a yawn and stretched her arms out a little to try to stay awake. "Riku, tell me about your home…"
He smiled and corrected her, "Our home."
"Yeah…" Her heart fluttered delightedly. "Our home…"
"It's near the ocean, in a complex of small houses. It's… not very big or luxurious," he admitted embarrassedly. "But it has a kitchen, a small living room, and a bathroom…" He lowered his voice and smirked into her hair, his fingers toying with the wavy strands. "And there's the bedroom…"
"Oh?" she managed in a mock-sly voice, between giggles. She felt Riku's hands begin roaming her sides mischievously, longingly. He kissed her temple, her ear, her cheek; he longed to reach her lips.
"It overlooks the beachfront," he whispered. "It's not the best view, but the breeze is nice at night…"
She sighed blissfully, sleepily, and tilted her head up to meet his searching lips.
"I can't wait," she murmured when they parted. "I'm nervous, but I can't wait…"
"Don't be nervous. It's going to be fine." He kissed her again, softly and lingeringly. "I'm going to show you everything."
"Do you have other friends there?" she asked hesitantly, trying to conceal her apprehension in the matter. Part of what worried her was being the new face in the crowd again; it was a small worry, but she let it occupy her mind to great extents in order to free herself from the real burdens.
She felt him nod. "Yeah, but they're all really nice. I know you'll like them. You don't need to be nervous."
"I know," she assured him, smiling weakly. The idea really was intimidating; after all, what if they found out about her prior life? Her power? Not everyone would be as open-hearted as Riku to someone such as her. She dreamt of being more sociable and easy-going in front of these strangers—for Riku, to be a better companion to him—but in reality she knew that her stiffness and introverted nature would bore them all off.
"It just seems weird to be coming back with you. People ask questions…"
"They won't ask anything we can't answer—believe me."
They had briefly discussed the way she would be introduced. Both were in agreement that some sort of alibi would have to be created. The truth could not get out; they'd have to tell a story for her. She'd been spending hours brainstorming tales since her decision.
"Right…"
Her voice trailed off into silence.
Riku sensed her slipping back into her mind, back to the doubts. He tilted her chin up and kissed her again, smiling playfully against her lips when he pulled away.
"If anything, the guys will be jealous that I brought such a beautiful girl home with me…"
Keiya blushed and shifted uncomfortably to oblige the nerves. "You always say that…" Her voice was only a mumble against his chest. Riku gave an amused laugh, taking pride in her bashfulness. He knew she liked the compliments as any other girl, no matter how many times she tried to pretend she didn't.
She took shelter against his body and betwixt the sheets. Gradually, her body relaxed under his subduing warmth. Riku's arms rested around her waist as he waited for her to become calm enough to sleep. Her nightmares came regularly—even now that she'd made the decision to leave with him. She was still dwelling over the what-ifs, the uneasiness, the concerns, even though she never said a word about it. The more she worried herself, the more anxious he became. It disturbed him that she might second guess herself.
She was excited for the move, though, he could tell. During the day when they talked about it, her eyes would light up. Working on the provisions, planning for the long space journey—it was all exhilarating now. He knew she couldn't wait to belong somewhere.
"Hey… Seven days," he reminded her when he felt her shift in his arms. "Almost six."
She smiled against his chest and whispered blithely her acknowledgement.
After a pause, he tried again, "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it, your dream? I want to know…"
She shook her head. "Really, it was nothing. I'm sorry I woke you," she murmured, hiding her face in his chest. She felt him sigh heavily as he brushed back her hair. She didn't want to linger over this paranoia anymore; she'd made her decision and made it final. Her fingers, on their own accord, felt for the necklace fastened around her neck. The smooth shape of the small charm provided her a solace. She wasn't going to let anything sway her again.
~…~
"Damn it!"
Sai smashed his small mahogany table into the concrete wall, scattering his miniscule collection of belongings to the floor. Everything was wrong; everything seemed completely wrong.
"That guy… that guy!" He dealt a powerful kick to the leg of the toppled desk. The wood cracked and splintered into dangerously sharp shreds. The dust whirled in the air and coated the floor, covering also his sole picture of his prior life which hadn't been properly restored to its frame. He scarcely noticed the damage, though; he was far too blind in his tantrum.
"What was he doing…?" He unleashed another kick, this time to the faded, rough molding along the door. "Why was he looking for her?"
A lone heartless bearing a sealed note waddled in through a portal. When Sai caught sight of it, he didn't think twice before hurling a large, fallen textbook in its direction. "Get out!" he yelled thoughtlessly, dust flying up as the binding hit the wall and the delicate pages spilled out across the floor. The shadow's antennae twitched at the near-impact before it scurried away, taking the note back to its sender.
The fact that everyone else in the echoing fortress could likely hear his temper boiling over did not cross his one-track mind. The degrading lectures he would receive from his mistress and the possible demotion that hovered over him, ready to crash down, could not faze him from his fury.
He delivered another violent kick to his battered bookshelf, breaking the wooden slabs and sending the books piling onto the floor. Clouds of dust polluted the air of the tiny room. He had to stumble to a halt to cough out the bothersome particles. Impatiently, he waved the dust away and leaned back against a scuffed wall. It forced him to recover his thoughts for a moment.
"How does she know him…?" he managed, catching his breath in heavy inhalations. "Who is he?"
As he gazed down at the mess strewn across his floor, he caught sight of one of his textbooks opened to a diagram: a couple walking side-by-side, their hearts glowing brilliantly, vulnerably in their chests, their romance practically calling out to the hungry heartless. He felt his face heat up as he observed the man's arm wrapped possessively around the female's frame, the female's overt, blissful defenselessness in his embrace.
Sai hurtled the book into the wall with his foot just hard enough to send the pages flying from the binding. His face was flushed with resentment and jealousy.
"I'll kill him!"
"Enough."
Maleficent strode into her apprentice's disarrayed room, disapproval heavy in her gaze and voice. Sai was forced to halt in his tracks, his body almost trembling with the restrained frustration. He'd exploded in front of her several months earlier, snapped at her, earned his punishment, and learned his lesson.
She approached him irritably. "This room is a privilege, and I expect you to treat it as such. It belongs to me, not you."
He nodded stiffly, his jaw clenched shut.
Her eyes narrowed considerably; Sai couldn't move a muscle beneath her condescending stare. Without warning, she whipped her hand out and struck him across the face.
"What are you thinking, bawling like mad? Do you realize I have twenty-five men living just two floors below you? Can you imagine what they must be thinking? Imbecile. "
He stood firm in his place, though his insides churned with rage and fear. He couldn't lash out against his mistress; he had to keep still and silent lest he suffer worse like his comrade. He'd been on her good side lately.
"I've given you great responsibilities—you cannot act like a child. You know how little I tolerate children," she said coldly, her mouth turned down in a grimace. "If you keep letting this infatuation of yours interfere with your work, you'll find yourself as powerless as when you came here."
His face tinged uncontrollably and he nodded again, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. Infatuation, he scoffed in denial. What does she know?
Her voice took on a more annoyed tone. "Our situation at the moment is delicate; I should think you know better than to throw such a fit or to leave without my permission," she snapped.
Two cold, bony fingers tapped his chin up to force eye contact. Sai, still shaking with the need to wreck and demolish, obediently looked into the pale, sinister face of his warden.
"I'm not a simpleton, Sai—you can't evade me."
Her hand cut through the air and knocked the unsuspecting boy off balance, into the rough edge of the fragmented bookshelf. He groaned in agony as the sharp wood drove into his back and punctured his skin. The familiar sting of an open cut consumed his body in its fire and sent him staggering to the wall. He grasped the clean edge of his desk tightly and tried in vain to nurse the peeling skin. His posture was unwillingly humbled to accommodate the fresh wound's burn.
"And I'd have thought you knew the rules, what with your partner's foolish excursions over the years. You're not to leave this fortress without my express command—I'll not tolerate it," she asserted coolly, taking no pity on her apprentice writhing in pain before her. He could feel the streams of blood trickle down his back, the tiny pieces of wood wedged through several layers of skin. It took immense control not to cry out or curse; the stabbing pain only fueled his hatred.
She looked around the room, revolted. "Clean this up, then go downstairs to train. Put your anger to better use."
She left him struggling there on the floor with no means to heal the injury other than the obvious, the desired: darkness.
~…~
"So Riku, what's first on the agenda when we get home? Paopu Fruit?"
The older boy had to hide a blush. He continued his work, packing up boxes of emergency supplies as if he hadn't heard a thing. Sora stared him down with a devilish, knowing smile, unwilling to let his "super cool" friend escape this rare chance for embarrassment. Still, the stubborn teenager remained calm and collected.
"Or maybe an engagement ring?" he added slyly, gauging his friend's reaction.
Riku's face flushed and he hastily turned around to procure more supplies.
Sora burst into laughter seeing his friend so flustered. He recalled all the times he'd been teased about Kairi, and was excited to get his friendly revenge. Riku just shot him a glare and tried to shrug it off without losing face.
"But seriously Riku, aren't you going to share a Paopu Fruit with her?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not into that stuff," Riku said dismissively. Nonetheless, Sora easily picked up on his unconvincing tone, his subtle shy demeanor.
The younger boy smirked. "Oh, yes you are," he pushed. "Who was the one to wager those fruits every time we had a race?"
"That was just to annoy you," he deflected.
"You can't fool me! I'm your best friend! You should ask her as soon as we get home. I bet it'll be romantic…" he said teasingly. Riku shoved him out of the way so he could carry the box to the garage. Sora followed close behind, unrelenting.
Is this kid seriously trying to give me relationship advice?
"She's moving in with you, right?" Sora inquired curiously. Riku hid his discomfort by shifting the box's weight between hands.
"…Yeah," he started defensively. "What about it?"
He just gave an amused smile. "Nothing."
Riku exhaled deeply and strode ahead to the garage entrance. Sora tagged along with the pestering smile still plastered on his face.
The day after it had been decided that they'd return to the islands together, Riku had naturally told Sora and Kairi. To the rest of the house, it seemed to become apparent over the course of the day. The lack of tension between them, the brighter attitude while working—the others picked it up from the little things. (Unless Sora had blabbed the news to the rest of the house, which was a possibility Riku had to consider.)
These were the last couple days of vigorous preparation, then it would be just packing and enjoying the town until it was time to leave. Keiya was more excited than he was, he knew, though she'd never admit it to anyone else. He'd heard Aerith asking her that morning what she thought of going to the islands, and she'd answered something to the effect that she didn't mind. In private, though, he'd been exciting her with small details and descriptions (partially to satisfy his own enthusiasm). She was always eager for childhood stories, characterizations of the other islanders and all the places there were to see.
"So are you guys going to look into a bigger apartment?"
Riku looked over, startled. "Huh? Of course not. I don't have that kind of money… And mine's big enough, anyway. Why would we move?"
He gave a wide grin. "Well, where will you raise the family?"
His face turned scarlet and he automatically shoved his friend hard into the wall. The boy only laughed, causing Riku to steam more. When he couldn't come up with a comeback, he turned on his heel to continue on down the hall.
"Ow! Jeez, Riku—you know I'm joking with you!" Sora exclaimed through snickers. He clutched his shoulder but paid the pain no mind. Years of rough-housing had numbed them to punches and shoves long ago. The spunky brunet sprinted ahead and pushed his friend off-balance, almost causing him to knock a picture off the wall.
"Argh, watch it!"
"Ha! You should see your face, Riku! Still blushing…"
Two heads peeked around a doorway to learn where the racket was coming from. "Is everything alright?"
"Oh, hi Kairi!" Sora replied brightly. He glanced back to see his friend ready to walk away, then added with a smirk, "And Keiya."
Riku froze and cursed his friend mentally before turning back around to face them. There would be teases, for sure, since the two couples were rarely together. He braced himself and got his defenses ready.
"What's going on?" Kairi asked, able to sense the spark of rivalry between them.
Riku caught Keiya's eyes and automatically broke into a small smile. She stood behind Kairi, her hair tied back and her hands clasped behind her, wearing a simple white dress. The two had been situated in the living room to check off supplies on the various lists. It seemed a bit of a social experiment, since the girls hadn't ever really spoken to each other period, let alone by themselves. Even though he knew she disliked working with others, Riku thought it would be good exposure to have before meeting everyone else on the islands. She went along with it for his sake, so she could be on affable terms with his friends. The people themselves didn't bother her—just the concept.
"Ah, we're just fooling around. Riku's being hard-headed, as usual," Sora said nonchalantly.
The silver-haired boy shot him a warning glare, but he paid it no heed. Sora knew he wouldn't act up in front of his girlfriend, and he was ready to exploit that.
"You two are always at it," Kairi giggled. "What's the matter this time?"
Sora revealed his smirk, watching Riku simmer out of the corner of his eye. "I'm just trying to give Riku some advice on his relationship…"
Riku spun around and ran a hand through his hair. He let out an annoyed groan which was muffled by Sora's obnoxious badgering. It was all he could do to hold back from delivering a whack to the head.
"…but he isn't taking it too well," he finished, watching both faces acquire shades of pink. Keiya averted her eyes to the floor to pretend she wasn't part of the conversation, while Riku stuffed his hands in his pockets and started thinking of some way to salvage his image.
"Oh, Sora, don't be so nosy," his girlfriend reprimanded. She walked over to him, a hand on her hip, and tapped him lightly on the forehead as one would a puppy. Sora gave a sheepish smile and again assured her he was just playing.
While the younger couple engaged in silly chatter, Riku wandered over to his own intimate. She smiled as he approached her, still trying to erase the slight blush from her face. When he was within reach, she settled her hands on his torso and let him pull her in. He greeted her with a swift kiss before the others could detect it.
"How're you holding up?" he asked, his fingers lightly climbing her arms to her shoulders.
"Fine," she answered cheerfully.
While gazing down at her, Riku took notice of her progress evident in her appearance. Her hair was brighter and wavier, her skin less colorless, her eyes filled with light. It still astonished him how strong the darkness's hold over her had been and how thoroughly she was overcoming it. Nights weren't heartbreaking and distressful anymore; the darkness had dwindled in its parasitic attacks the past few weeks, and lately was nonexistent. Despite the consistent nightmares that haunted her and alarmed him, the darkness itself hadn't made a frightening show in quite some time. He wished he could tell her just how far she'd come along, but that was a secret he was still determined to keep.
He laced his fingers through strands of her hair in admiration. She only gave him a quizzical look, glancing over at the other couple to make sure they weren't being spied on.
His thoughts fell across Sora's suggestions. The boy sometimes said things that were a bit inordinate, but this time the idea weighed on his mind. Destinies intertwined: the words had a mystical and romantic air about them that intrigued and attracted. He couldn't deny that his longing to make such a covenant, to partake in such a tradition, hadn't decreased over the years.
Sora broke his concentration by slapping a hand on his back. Keiya had to hold back a giggle seeing Riku's scowl as he came out of his trance.
"Kairi and I are going to get some food. You guys coming?"
"Sure, we'll be there in a minute," he answered unenthusiastically.
Keiya grinned and brushed his bangs from his eyes while they waited for the others to be out of earshot. Once freed from intruding eyes, Riku brought his lips to hers in a lengthier kiss. Her hands weaved into his hair as he pulled her closer; she nearly stumbled into him to accommodate the amorous lip lock.
When they pulled away, he kept his face close to hers, his hand still on her cheek.
"Keiya… When we get home, will you try something with me?"
"Sure," she said casually, hugging him around the neck. "What is it?"
"There's this legend... about a fruit on the islands. It's called Paopu Fruit," he started, his heart stumbling over beats as he explained it.
"What's the legend?"
"Supposedly, if two people share one… they'll remain apart of each other's lives no matter what happens. 'Destinies Intertwined,' they call it…"
She smiled when she caught the drift, then bravely inquired, "And?"
"Well, would you try it with me?" he requested hopefully. "When we get home?"
Her heart fluttered, but she barely noticed anymore. Around him, she always felt so high in spirits. "Of course," she promised. She leaned into his chest contentedly, elatedly.
Riku let out a relieved sigh and gratefully held her closer.
I don't know why, but I can't wait to try it. It's almost reassuring, with these nightmares… I guess I should thank Sora later…
~…~
Sai still felt a mild sting in his back with every step he took, every punch he threw to the old, discolored practice target. He'd done a fairly commendable job in healing his nasty wound; darkness now coursed through his blood with even more ease and in much larger torrents than normal. He could feel its strength feed him with every move he made. The power he could command in such a state was intoxicating.
Maleficent's words buzzed in his head. Her emotionless attitude increased his animosity: she had no regard for feelings or desires; she couldn't possibly understand how difficult it was to be so collected while burdened by the urgent fear that he was being challenged—by a stranger, no less. Couldn't she see he had to find this stranger? had to make him pay?
"One more day… I don't want to wait!" he growled beneath the slam of a round-house kick. The heavy rubber mannequin toppled to the floor, the crash echoing off the walls. Sai picked it up impatiently by the neck and began to bombard it with punches. His raw hands further split and burned at the violent friction. Blood leaked from his knuckles, dripped onto the floor, smeared across the mannequin's face in abstract shapes.
"That bastard… I'll rip him to pieces…"
His grudge could not be diminished; all the anger he harbored for his mistress he directed solely on the mystery man with whom his missing comrade was associating. A strong jab caused a blotch of crimson to stain the side of the figure's head.
"He has no right to be with her! Outsider!"
He lunged at his target again, throwing it to the ground, cracking the faded tiles lining the wall. He pressed his boot deep into the rubber chest. How he wished he could do the same to his unknown rival! He'd take great pleasure in watching his heartless destroy the man's body, envelope it in darkness, leach on his heart. It would be an excruciating punishment. He'd beat him senseless before throwing the bleeding, barely breathing, barely living body to the creatures of the dark.
She's with someone-I can't wait another day!
He could almost visualize the victim lying limp on the floor and whimpering in pain as he broke every bone in the man's body.
I swear I'll kill him…
He kicked the mannequin one last time with a frustrated growl, the heel of his boot puncturing its blank face. It took a great amount of will to release the figure from his dominating stance. He pushed off it with a final sharp indent, leaving a deep print. Heartless filled the room at his command and, with a snap of his fingers, pounced on the scuffed target, consumed it in darkness. Numb to satisfaction but sated enough, Sai buried his bleeding, clenched fists in his pockets and summoned a portal to his dismantled room.
Once back amidst the rubble and dust, he snatched up the tally that had floated to the ground during his fit. He rummaged for his pen hiding beneath a slew of severed book pages and then made two clear marks across the tally: one for today and one for the next.
"Tonight. I'm starting tonight." He crumpled the sheet of paper, letting his hands tighten around it until it was completely compressed, and flung it into the mess. Spots of blood decorated the creases and separated it from the mess of ink on off-white.
"I can't wait around when I know she's… she's… I can't even say it! I need him to be dead."
Energized with the thrill of revenge, Sai discreetly exited his room and began a descent to the empty chambers that served no purpose nor were paid any mind. He couldn't risk a portal; he needed to go undetected. It was his secret.
His mistress would surely see something new in him through this initiative. His body trembled with excitement when he thought of how terror stricken his comrade's lover would be to see the troop of heartless scratching at the doors, breaking through the windows. Night after night, until she left him or he left her, he'd send battalions of heartless, each stronger than the last. Once the outsider was alone, Sai could locate him with no worries of discretion. He'll have earned his mistress's trust by then.
He summoned the most grotesque creatures granted to his inventory, then picked the most impressive of those. He would save them. He'd start strong but small, and gradually get more rash if need be.
Quickly and quietly, he sent them off into the night to haunt their target and assault her companion. They were instructed to be ruthless. He waited and watched by a sooty window for the minions to return. His hands, chapped and chilly, fidgeted for something to grasp. His eyes scanned and searched the tree lined horizon for a sign of news. He repeatedly glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner, waiting for the hours to pass, anticipating an arrival—any arrival. Anything was welcome to satiate his impatience.
~…~
I shouldn't have brought you here.
Keiya heaved herself up from the sheets with tremendous effort. Her head and heart throbbed out of synch, neither more aggravating than the other. Riku lay next to her, fast asleep and undisturbed, his arm still draped over her body. She shifted carefully so as not to wake him this time.
Again.
She held her head and massaged her temples. The whole atmosphere felt momentarily morose. It would take a minute for the melancholy to disintegrate, she knew. She was becoming accustomed to these nightly warnings, as she called them. They felt like warnings, not nightmares.
This is ridiculous… I shouldn't be letting all this get to my head. I told him I wouldn't.
Her heart slowed to a less sickening pace. She swallowed and tried to forget the bitterness.
It's not real.
She gathered the blankets to her body and struggled to get warm. A cool breeze—cooler than normal—was intruding through the window. She thought of finding a sweater to throw over her nightgown, but didn't want to risk bothering her companion again. He'd only become more concerned; she couldn't let him worry needlessly over her ceaseless paranoia.
Still shivering beneath the comforter, she lay back down and curled up to the sleeping boy. His chest rose and fell predictably, reliably. He was steady where she was uncertain. Contentedly, she nestled into his body so that his arm fell back around her waist. He didn't stir at all; he was a rather still, heavy sleeper, and it didn't help that they'd spent the entire day at work. It amused her that someone as suave and active so early in the morning as he could be so dead to the world at night. Smiling to herself, she played with a few strands of his silver hair, traced her fingers along his cheek. He barely flinched at her touch.
After a while she hugged her pillow and tried to give in to the drowsiness that was tugging at her eyelids. She didn't like sleep so much anymore; it brought her to places she didn't want to see. Sometimes she thought of neglecting sleep, living as she had in Maleficent's fortress. There was no need for sleep there. But that would be like taking a step backward, she knew. Darkness would be in control again. She couldn't take that route; she'd rather endure the agony.
Still waiting to be transported to slumber, she lifted her wrist to observe her mark. She hadn't paid it much mind lately; she'd been too caught up deciding what to do and, now, preparing for the journey to the islands. The brand had become translucent—she could almost see the hue of her skin peaking through from underneath. Its edges were less defined, and altogether it was not as apparent. This lifted her spirits tremendously. Nightmares were nothing, she thought. She was resisting better than ever.
She ran her fingers over the bleak patch of skin, following the curves of the familiar insignia.
I wonder if it will ever disappear… I'd hate to be like this forever. She scarcely remembered a time when she wasn't visibly bound to her superior through the flesh. Even Sai—that blunt and impertinent thirteen-year-old he was—didn't hesitate to tell her how disgusting the idea was. To her it was almost worse than a pair of shackles. She always ran away to pursue freedom, but the mark made even a physical escape meaningless. She was still a wielder of darkness, a servant to the crest she wore. Maybe when we get to the islands it will finally go away. She'll give up eventually, she told herself. She has to give up eventually…
As the exhaustion settled in again, she closed her eyes and rested her hands on Riku's chest. She barely remembered what she'd woken from now; everything always melted into that same omen, but she consistently chose to dismiss it as anxiety. Disregarding the nightmares, she sunk beneath the blankets and relinquished herself to the cozy complacency of sleep.
I can't wait till we leave.
A creak of the floorboard tore her from her comfort. She rubbed her eyes and looked up instinctually, unconcerned: there had been many a creak in the house, especially on these windy nights. She was ready to slip back under the covers when she caught sight of something shift in the shadows, something momentarily block the moon's reflection on the wall. She sat up more attentively, her heart speeding up with that same foolish fear of the dark. Her eyes searched for whatever inanimate object had crossed her field of vision so she could be satisfied and go back to sleep. But then another shape whisked across the floor, then another by the curtains, and suddenly she knew something was wrong.
She grasped the blankets and sat straight up, on the defensive. Her gaze hastened over the scene, eyes squinted and examined the corners of the room. More and more shapes began blurring in and out of her vision until one abruptly pounced onto the edge of the bed.
She had to stifle a gasp when she felt the new presence crawling on the mattress. All of a sudden they were everywhere, these creatures, creeping and scratching on the floor, whizzing through the air. Keiya trembled and found herself leaning as far into the headboard as she could, hoping she was only in some kind of terrible, paranoid mind-set. Her head frantically turned every which way as the seconds ticked down. When the most immediate creature made itself recognizable to her in the moonlight, she let out a horrified shriek.
At her outburst, the glass window shattered and a throng of heartless tumbled into the tiny space. Riku jumped up in alarm and was immediately met with a swift scrape on his arm by one of the monsters. He nearly choked in surprise and hastily beat the clawed attacker away. The room was utter chaos: dozens of heartless were gathered all around them, all of them thrashing and moving lithely across the floor. Keiya was still next to him, wriggling backward and struggling to recover from the surprise. His limbs were stiff and his arm stinging, but he had no time to remedy the situation; just as he looked up, a fierce looking shadow lunged at him full force, and he wasted no time in summoning his blade to ward it away.
"Stay there," he called back to her urgently. The keyblade wielder hastily jumped out of bed, his eyes narrowed for battle despite the lack of preparation. An assortment of vicious heartless gravitated toward him to meet his blade. Keiya was the first to realize that she wasn't the one in danger of attack. The heartless were focused solely on Riku, only confirming her fears. She barely knew what to do to help; her mind was numb and her body suddenly heavy.
Riku swung his blade in heavy strokes, knocking the enemies away from him and his lover, trying to defeat them in bunches. They retaliated smoothly and speedily; the shadows crept up from the floor, their larger counterparts lunged and thrashed at him so he could barely make out what was happening. He swatted at them blindly, unable to take the time to catch his breath or gain his bearings. It was all one blur of heartless closing in on him every chance they could get.
Wide-eyed and clumsy, Keiya maneuvered herself to the edge of the bed and picked her brain for some course of action. All that registered were his pants of struggle and sharp inhalations as he fought the enemies by himself in the dark. She could hear the whisper of his blade as it sliced through the air and struck down ten, fifteen heartless in just seconds. But it was difficult; he was tired, and they kept coming.
She stumbled off the mattress when she saw more shadows appear from the floor. Preoccupied but needing to help, she grabbed a nearby pair of shoes and chucked them at the new arrivals one by one. She failed to accomplish any damage; they ignored her entirely and kept on toward their real target. She tried again with a small umbrella leaning against the nightstand, but to no avail.
What do I do, what do I do?
She rummaged the drawers of the nightstand, her hands shaking violently, and wielded an emergency flashlight. With a cry of effort, she threw herself forward and whacked it over a heartless's head. The creature, now peeved and aware of her presence, hissed and reached out to scratch her face. Its claws were too quick for her reflexes, and it drew two lines of blood on her cheek. The pain was unexpected and irritating, but she continued to hit it: the only thing her mind could process to do. Her emotions flared with desperation, confusion, a longing to wake up and find that it was morning. When she managed to throw the heartless back far enough, she tried the flashlight's switch only to find its batteries had run out.
"Keiya, stay on the bed," he ordered sternly, sacrificing a glance in her direction. He had to swing his blade back and forth just to keep the monsters at bay.
She didn't listen. Instead, she edged closer to the battle and once within range, hurled the flashlight at a heartless just about to sneak up on him from behind.
Riku's battle in the corner did not cease for even a second. She could hardly see him through the bulky, menacing shapes, but she could hear him struggling. She wanted to aid him and end this assault, but her strength escaped her. She couldn't recollect the image or feel of her weapon, nor could she locate the concentration to summon it. The darkness that ran thick through her blood had been growing weaker over the weeks, and she didn't have the resolve to submit. It was there in her heart—she could feel it lurking, waiting for her dependence—but she didn't dare call it out. She lacked the courage. For once in her life she felt helpless without the darkness. She could feel things slipping from her grasp, but couldn't name what they were. The heartless were there for him. The nightmares had dictated it. It was all coming true.
Kneeling on the floor, she proceeded to grapple with the smaller foes, her lack of focus even getting her hurt in the process. It was all she could think to do to help. She just hoped Riku couldn't see how pathetic she looked, couldn't hear her crying. All the while, she thought of her power and how if she could only acquire some conviction, she could end it immediately. It only added to the guilt.
She wasn't sure how long he'd been fighting before the door burst open and everyone came pouring in. She recognized Sora's determined stare as he struck the heartless in front of her, could make out Leon's authoritative voice trying to keep order. With the added help, it was over as quickly as it began. But watching everything unfold induced a wave of sickness to come over her. It brought out all the insecurities.
"…broke through the window?"
"We need to… security…"
"…won't work! If they come back…"
Keiya sat leaning against the wall, limp, nauseous, and instilled with apprehension. The voices above spoke words without meaning, just nervous chatter. The conclusions to be drawn from the assault were horrid: they knew where she was, they knew she was with someone, and they were going to use forceful means to get what they wanted. If they'd come after her too, she might not be so overwhelmed. But to go after her companion, they were telling her they knew. They were eradicating their privacy, stealing away their safety. They were threatening her, demonstrating the extreme to which they would take action.
Riku knelt in front of her and pulled her into his embrace. She immediately gave into his warmth, letting her hands rest listlessly on his shoulders. Her body yearned for sleep, but her mind vehemently opposed it. How could she sleep when the heartless were after him? All she could think was that this was a fulfillment. She'd been warned repeatedly, never once taking the threats to heart. It was her carelessness that had caused this attack.
"Hey, don't worry…" Riku's voice came assuredly in her ear, "They're all gone now. If they come back, I'll fight them again."
Her body trembled in his arms. She stayed quiet through the discussions lingering over them. He heard her murmur something against his chest but could make out only the anguish. He didn't know what he could say to calm her; she was upset, and rightfully so. But after weeks of deliberation and days of dismaying nightmares, he didn't want this to discourage her from her decision. He had to keep her optimistic.
Unconsciously, she somehow associated the whole conspiracy with Sai. The brashness of the attack, the lack of precision: it didn't seem like something Maleficent would normally authorize. The schemer didn't matter, though; she'd been away too long. They knew where she was, with whom she was staying. She had become a dangerous liability for him.
Oh God, maybe I shouldn't have stayed.
"Only five more days, Keiya," he stressed, cradling her, coaxing her. "We'll be home before you know it."
She nodded to oblige him and to reassure herself; Inside, she could feel the confidence being uprooted, doubts being sown in its place.
I should have left all those months ago...
~…~
Author's Note: It's been a while… Sorry 'bout that! This has been a hard school year so far.
I feel like I should point out a "glitch" with the calendar. (And I actually did have to make a calendar O.o) Technically, there was no day for Sai to skip over… I had planned for there to be one, but I screwed up on the timeline. So I kind of… added a day so he could skip over it, because that's what I wanted him to do. If you keep a flexible mind, though, his parts in the previous chapters don't necessarily have to be happening on the same day as Riku and Keiya's. So the day that his count started doesn't have to have happened on the day Riku and Keiya were on during that chapter… And somehow that should make things add up? Lol. No one probably would have noticed, but it bothered me when I realized it.
Happy belated Thanksgiving to all the readers and reviewers! I'd like to thank CayChaotic, caitlinkeitorin, and Taeniaea for reviewing last chapter, and especially CayChaotic and caitlinkeitorin for being the only consistent regulars these past few chapters. So, thanks!
There's a poll on my profile relevant to this story, so participate if you have the chance. I'm going to try to have the next chapter out by/before December break. (We'll see if that actually happens…)
Thank you for reading and please review!