Fan Fiction ❯ Wings ❯ Awakening ( Chapter 3 )

Author's Notes:

 

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or locations depicted in this fanfic. In fact, considering my performance in the Platinum match, one might say one of them owns me.

 

Warnings: I still don't have a beta reader. I do accept constructive criticism, and might even edit this and the previous chapter if I get one.

 

Chapter 3

 

Riku woke as the castle's lighting system responded to the daylight outside. The Keyblade was still in his hand, and he banished it with a mixture of relief and embarrassment. By the fading imprint on his forearm, he could only imagine the picture he would have presented, curled around the weapon like a child with a stuffed toy. Absently, he rubbed at the marks, wondering how to interpret the night's events.

He wandered the halls aimlessly for a while. The room he had chosen for a refuge now seemed to be anything but one. Still, it was the only place he had, and it wasn't long before he made his way back to it.

As the door swung open, the room looked the same as it had when he had first chosen it. The bed was only slightly rumpled, silent witness to his restless night. His few belongings lay undisturbed next to it. Warily, he eased his way into the room. Seeing no sign of intrusion, Riku made his way to the adjoining bathroom and splashed his face. If it weren't for waking up halfway across the castle, he could have written it off as a bizarre dream. He'd had quite a few of those during his years of imprisonment. He wondered if too much time locked in a world with living shadows and a talking mouse had affected his sanity.

Determined to reclaim some degree of normalcy, Riku began brushing his hair. Spending the night on a stone floor had left him with an ache in his shoulder, and he winced as he worked the flexibility back into it. As he brushed out the last of the storm-spawned tangles, he was vividly reminded of Sephiroth's fingers knotted at the nape of his neck. The brush clattered to the floor and Riku flinched at the sound. He drew a harsh breath and forced his fingers to unclench, allowing his hair to slide free.

“What game is he playing?” he asked his reflection. Not having an answer for himself, he stalked back into the main room. He considered finding another room in the castle, but it was apparent that any room with a window would be easy enough for Sephiroth to reach. Riku wondered if the castle architect had even considered defenses against winged intruders. Then again, after being locked behind a World Door for the past few years, the thought of doing without windows was not one that he found pleasant.

Resigned, he sat down on the bed and took stock of the room. It was sparsley but completely furnished. A single wooden chair and desk were placed to take full advantage of the natural light; a low chest and small closet provided storage areas; and a small, tile-topped table next to the bed had obviously been used as a candlestand.

The quiet was something he hadn't experienced in a long time. The distant rush of the falls was barely louder than his own breathing. Slowly, its steady croon blunted his anxiety, and he realized exactly how long it had been since he had truly slept well. With a sigh, he flopped backwards and stared up at the ceiling. The arched stonework promised shelter and protection, but that wasn't what he needed right now. He closed his eyes, and tried to take his mind to happier times.

Painstakingly, he constructed every detail: the rush of the falls shifted into the thrum of the ocean, the smooth cotton sheets transformed into the rough bark of the paopu tree, the cool mountain air gently warmed by the island sun. The only thing that didn't change was the wind, lightly stirring his bangs against his forehead. In his dream, he sat up and looked towards shore, expecting to see his childhood friends. There was no one.

With a growing sense of unease, he leapt down onto the firm sand and raced inland. Every building was vacant; every cove was pristine, as though no human footprint had ever marred their shores. He reversed direction, kicking up sand, and sprinted towards the Secret Place - the hidden heart of the world that the three of them had adopted as their own.

As he rounded the little pool at the bottom of the waterfall, he stopped short. The narrow passage had been solidly bricked up. In disbelief, he climbed up to the narrow ledge and ran his fingers over the masonry, tracing the edges where brick met stone, prying at the mortar between the courses, and finally striking at the unyielding bricks in desperation.

A single tear ran down his face. There was nothing left for him. The wind ghosted through his hair, drying his eyes, calling to him. Reluctantly, he turned away from the brick wall -

- And found himself on the storm-lashed terrace. Sephiroth stood in front of him, furling the wing that had just caressed the younger man's face, watching Riku as he backed towards the stairs. As he broke into a run and reached the threshhold of the archway, the dream shattered and he sat up, heart pounding. He looked out through the archway, half-expecting to see the swirl of a black leather coat.

The lower terrace was empty. Strangely, he was not relieved. Heart still pounding, he made his way out to the curving stairway. The wind played gently along the curves and angles of the building, a faded whisper of the night's storm. Riku walked out to the edge of the terrace as he had before the storm. The breeze wasn't as enticing as it had been that night. Today, it passed easily around him instead of trying to take him skyward.

Riku stood there for a while, looking out at the distant shores of the falls. Every other sense was primed, waiting for any hint of Sephiroth's presence. The thought that he might once again face the winged swordsman was unsettling, but his absence was unexpectedly disappointing. Confused, he turned back towards his room. As he reached the bottom of the stairway, a slight movement caught his eye.

A single black feather slid across the stone floor.

 

Sorry, more angst than sex in this scene. I'll fix that later. ^_^> Yes, I have a hair fetish and indulge it at every opportunity.

 

Until next time!