This is a pointless one-shot fic on Riku and what happened to him after the doors shut. It's a more romantic and serious take on chibilinnet's fic, 'Aforementioned Fluff'. Go read it peoples! It's a really cute and gorgeous story! (Even if Riku was very out of character.)

This is dedicated to all those supporters of Ansem/Riku pairings. You're not alone.

Disclaimer: All characters property of Squaresoft

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The Irony of Fate

"Take care of her for me." Riku said softly, and pushed the door with all his might. The last thing he saw was determination in Sora's beautiful sapphire eyes as he nodded, before the mighty double doors of Kingdom Hearts swung shut with a load groan. Riku blinked back tears.

I can't cry now. I'll see you all again someday Sora, I promise.

He pivoted to face the bleak looking landscape ahead of him and his heart sank. He was completely alone. Or so he thought. Far off in the distance, he saw the silhouette of a mouse wielding a Keyblade, illuminated by a blazing white light behind it. Riku's vision blurred as the light grew brighter. Surrounding the mouse and Keyblade were hundreds upon thousands of Heartless, all chattering meaninglessly as their yellow eyes gleamed coldly in the darkness. The mouse took a step forward, and the light around him intensified. Riku shut his eyes and shielded them with his arm. He cried out in pain as the light seared his vision. Then, it was as if the light had been turned off like a lightbulb. For when he opened his eyes he saw absolutely nothing.

No. It can't be. Please don't tell me it's true. He rubbed his eyes hard, but still no vision returned to him. He cried out in emotional agony, and his reply was given by the Heartless. They chattered and squealed excitedly. Fear crept slowly into Riku's heart. He desperately tried to decipher anything in the darkness all around him, but all sight eluded him once more.

The soft scratching, pitter-patter of the Heartless as they advanced on him struck a deep chord of fear in the silver-fair teen's heart. He hesitantly took a step forward, his heart pounding against his chest, as though in retaliation. Never in his life had he felt such fear. All his life he had been taught to always look his fears straight in the eye.

So how does that apply now that I'm blind, dad? He asked wryly.

A sob escaped the confines of his throat.

I'll never see Sora's cheerful eyes or Kairi's sweet smile ever again. The Heartless will eat my heart and leave me to die. Utterly alone. A tear trickled out of one aqua eye without his permission, and more soon followed. Riku began to run, paying no heed or care to where he was going. His footsteps pounded the ground hard as he gained speed, carving his way through the everlasting darkness. He angrily brushed his tears away.

I'll get through this somehow. I won't give up.

The Heartless drew closer, and Riku tripped, falling flat on his face. He began to sob, despair embracing his heart. Tears dripped down his cheeks and onto the strangely soft ground.

Who the hell am I kidding? It's no use anyway. What have I got to go back to? Who would want me back, after all that I've done? Sora and Kairi are finally together, so they have no need of me. Riku turned to his side and curled into a ball. He buried his face in his arms, crying all the years of bottled up agony and sorrow, out. He couldn't even recall the last time he had wept. He lay there, drowning in misery for what seemed like an eternity. The pain doubled as the tears scalded his tender eyes, which in turn brought more tears, leaving Riku trapped in a cruel cycle of pain. He fumbled with the strip of black cloth he had used to bind a leg wound, and placed it over his eyes. He tied it like a blindfold, and forced his tears to stop.

You are suffering the pain of the body you surrendered to the Darkness being exposed to too much Light. An elegantly deep voice purred inside his head. Riku sat up. "Ansem?" He asked aloud. Silence replied, along with a chorus of chirps from the Heartless.

"Ansem, answer me!" Riku demanded, though his voice was tinged with fear and desperation. He lifted the blindfold and strained his eyes, trying to pick up anything, though conclusively it was all in vain.

Do not fear, little boy, for you have lost only one way of seeing. The voice replied.

"I'm not a little boy!" Riku yelled into the darkness.

Then why do you cry? It asked tenderly. Riku bit back a sob and his voice faltered as he spoke.

"I've just lost quite a lot of things dear to me, in too short a time." He cursed himself for sounding so pitifully weak and wiped his eyes.

Do not try to see with your eyes, instead, try to feel with your mind.

"I don't understand!" Riku yelled back. Silence returned the voice's answer. Riku sat down again, and cradled his head in his hands. Well, what else have I got to lose? He asked bitterly. Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind to erase all thoughts and he imagined launching a wave of beams all around him. To his surprise, they bounded back, and it seemed as though everything was faintly outlined in purple.

Yes. You are doing well, little master. Concentrate harder and you will learn to see once again.

Riku smiled ecstatically, sure it wasn't seeing like before, but at least there was hope. He tried again and this time, he could see everything clearly defined, though all in neon shades of purple, red, orange, yellow and green. Riku gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, trying even harder to launch a more powerful wave. And finally, though hazy, Riku could see once more. He laughed in sheer delight and began to walk in what he hoped was a northern direction.

His happiness was short lived, for with his laugh brought a swarm of Heartless, and he could sense their cold presence closing in on him fast. Riku began to run, fear once again gripping his heart and exiling the happiness that had dwelled there for a few minutes before. Despair was knocking at his heart.

You're never going to make it Riku. They're going to catch you and leave you to die. All alone.

"I'm not alone!" He yelled and gripped his head.

Who were you talking to? Look around you. You're going to die, completely miserable and alone.

Riku tried his best to ignore the voice, but what it had said nagged at him. Had Ansem really been there? Or was it his mind entirely playing cruel jests on him so that he would die with a little hope?

Onwards and upwards Riku ran, clambering over thick roots and rocks. Running exhausted him further and trying to keep his newly found sight was proving to be extremely difficult. And then he saw him far off in the distance, sitting in the center of thousands of advancing Heartless. Though his vision was vastly fading, he could distinguish a muscular man, sitting with his knees to his chest and his back facing Riku. Long white hair swept off his forehead dripped down his broad shoulders. Ansem.

Do not come closer. You bring the light in your heart, and it frightens the Heartless from devouring my heart and giving me the death that I have so sorely craved.

Riku ran on, heedless. The man who had ruined his whole life was sitting there, and Riku would not let him off easy.

I said do not come closer. He commanded firmly. Riku was closing in fast, and the Heartless were parting as he cleaved a path to Ansem.

What the hell are you doing? That man almost killed Sora! Don't go near him! He possessed your body, remember? Have you lost your mind?!

"He ruined my life!" Riku replied, tears running down his cheeks. "I'm just returning the favor."

Ansem scowled as the Heartless fled in fear of the approaching teen. So close he had come to dying, at leaving behind his cursed life at last. But no, it seemed Death did not want him just yet.

"Leave me be!" He shouted but the blindfolded teen showed no signs of stopping.

Out of all the people, why would Riku want to approach me? Fanged teeth revealed themselves as he snarled in anger.

"I command you to leave me be! I LONG TO DIE!" He roared. Riku was less than ten feet away. Clenching his fists, he stood up. How dare he stop me from accepting my fate?

The boy halted, removed his blindfold and glared at him with pure hatred.

"You ruined my life, the lives of my friends and my sight." He said icily. "I hate you." Riku sniffled, and a sob escaped his throat.

"This is all your fault!" He screamed and threw his fist forward with all the strength he could muster. Ansem made no move to defend himself. He knew the boy was right. Pain engulfed his jaw, and he could feel blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Leave me alone." Ansem said quietly. Riku continued to glare at him, though tears were running down his face.

"I hate you." He whispered again, though it seemed as though he were trying to convince himself. Ansem snarled, his eyes blazing in anger as he yelled loudly.

"I SAID TO LEAVE-" Ansem blinked. Something was wrapped tightly round his torso. He looked down to see a mass of shivering silver locks. His chest felt wet.

"Get off me." He commanded, his voice dropping to sound flat and menacing. The teen shook his head.

"No." Riku replied. Ansem gripped the boy by the shoulders and tried to push him off. Riku yelped and clung tighter, burying his face in Ansem's firm chest. Ansem growled and pushed harder.

"Let go of me Riku! Get-"

"Shut up!" Riku shouted, though his voice was muffled and fractured by hiccups. "Shut up Ansem. Just shut up and hold me." He sobbed, savoring in the warmth of another person. "I just don't wanna be alone anymore." He surrendered to the tears, crying his heart out in both pain and relief.

Ansem looked at the quivering boy, sobbing loudly on his chest. Wordlessly he obeyed, and lightly put his arms around Riku. Resting his cheek against the boy's head, he closed his eyes. Hadn't he once begged destiny for the same thing? All he had wanted, and still wanted, was someone to hold during the macabre journey disguised as his life. It had been delivered to him in the form of a silver-haired teen willing to do anything to save his friends. And he, too consumed by his own desire for knowledge, had abused the boy's trust, losing the only person who might have learned to love him. He tightened his embrace, failing to restrain a tear tracing his cheek.

Riku had quieted down to a few small hiccups and he loosened his grip on Ansem. He took a step back, hanging his head in shame, before leaning forward and resting his forehead against Ansem's chest. Ansem opened his mouth, before closing it again. What could he say to him?

"I know that words and probably even time cannot heal the wounds that I have inflicted on you," he began softly, "but I want you to know that I am sorry." His hand tangled itself with Riku's fingers. Riku let go and began to walk away. Ansem felt what was left of his emotionally battered heart shatter into pieces. Another tear rolled down his cheek, followed by more.

"Please don't leave me." He whispered. Riku climbed a root and disappeared from his sight. Ansem fell to his knees, his soul crying out to be released from the prison that was his body.

"Well, are you coming or not?" A voice asked impatiently. Ansem jerked his head up, and saw Riku with his arms crossed, tapping his foot in annoyance. He stretched out his arm, offering his hand to Ansem as he had once offered to Sora, so long ago. A cheeky grin lit up his pale face. Ansem slowly placed his hand in Riku's, still afraid of rejection.

Riku stood on his toes and arched up, pressing their lips softly together. He smiled.

How ironic fate seemed to be, that the very person who had seemingly ruined his life, would be the person to make it right again.

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The end... Or should I say that it is the beginning of a gentler journey for the two of them?

Yay! My first Ansem/Riku fanfic! Though more will definitely follow. I'm so sick of searching far and wide for Ansem/Riku fics, so I'm sure that others feel the same. Hope you guys like it! And thanks to chibilinnet for writing such a cute, though pointless fluff story that had me squealing in happiness!