Chapter One – The Tragedy Unfolds

Note: I've written the first chapter than decided it lacked alot and rewritten it again. Now I guess it's fine. :) Hope you like it, comments and favs are very welcome. Also this is Unbeta'ed like all my works.

It had been a tragic accident. The young family was on their way to a vacation, the kids were so excited to finally reach the sea. They've heard so many stories and seen so many pictures, but surely, nothing could compare to the real ocean. "Are we there soon Mommy?" the brown haired boy asked. His brother laughed, because Sora asked the same question every five minutes. "Soon, Sora. About half an hour now, okay? You can open the window just a little, you'll already be able to smell the fresh air of the sea. Wanna try that, sweetie?"

Sora nodded excitedly. He opened the car window just slightly, letting in some air. Curiously Sora tried to smell the air coming inside. It smelt fresh and somehow salty, it was weird, he never smelled anything like that before. It felt nice. "It smells good!" he exclaimed in his overly enthusiastic way. Vanitas couldn't stop smiling, his brother's happiness and excitement was always kind of contagious. "I like the smell, too." he said calmly, enjoying the fresh air. A long car ride always bored Vanitas, but Sora somehow kept his mood up.

Their mother laughed. It was weird how these two were twins, but then again looked different in hair- and eye color, Sora taking after their mother, Vanitas after their father colorwise. Their characters were also so different, while Sora was always happy, a little too loud and very energetic, Vanitas was rather quiet, thoughtful and rarely showed much emotion when Sora wasn't around. Like he couldn't be happy without his brother. That was also one of the reasons these two were inseparable.

"WHAT-?!" was the only thing the boys heard their father scream out as he desperately hit the brakes. It was too late, the car didn't stop or change direction in time. A ghost driver who was heavily drunk and too confused to realize he was driving in the wrong direction, hit them frontal. The sound was deafening. The impact let the kids nearly fly out of their seats, gratefully the seatbelts did what they were supposed to, the kids were held in place. Seconds, minutes passed until both of them regained their consciousness after the blow.

It was a mess, a great shock for the children in the back of the car, their parents both crushed by the impact, blood, broken shards, dead silence. Only the ringing in their ears remained from the loud crashing impact. Vanitas stared wide eyed, seeing how their mother's arms hung lifelessly from her sides. Blood was running down and dripping. His father had his hands on the wheel when it happened, now smashed and merged with the chaos that was their car. Vanitas kept staring despite the cruel scene in front of him, no matter how much he tried to avert his eyes. It felt too unreal to be true, he was sure he saw a video played right before his eyes. Something recorded, not actually happening.

Sora took in the scene for only a mere seconds until he passed out again beside his brother. Too much, it was too much. His brain short circuited at the sight, as if to protect him from further harm. At the thought of his brother, Vanitas finally moved his gaze to Sora. As soon as he realized Sora lost consciousness, but looked unharmed otherwise, he was relieved. In some way, even though it was so hard to process the whole situation, knowing his brother was safe made him feel like that.

It didn't take long for the police and the ambulance to arrive, only to find two now both unconscious children as the only survivors of this tragic incident. The kids were taken to the hospital, their parents couldn't be saved anymore. In hospital, Sora refused to believe what had happened. Even though he's been in the car, he's seen their parents, just shortly, but enough to understand that they were definitely dead. Sora cried, the nurse had told him the sad truth as gingerly as possible several times now. Sora stayed in refusal.

Vanitas didn't say anything, but hugged his brother. Somehow, he lost his voice. He wanted to say comforting words to Sora, but the shock was too great, the sight he had seen was too cruel, and it temporary took his whole ability to speak. Still he didn't let go of his brother, let him cry at his shoulder, let him scream. Vanitas stared up to the disgustingly sterile white ceiling of their hospital room. When he stared too long, the white paint turned red, dripping down like the blood he saw dripping from their mother's arm. Vanitas didn't stop staring, fascinated and disgusted at the same time.

And from that day on, Sora and Vanitas, barely six years old, were robbed off their loving mother and their kind hearted father. They never had any other family, only a grandmother that was already in elderly care. Thus she wasn't able to take in two children and care for them. The funeral was held a few weeks later, their parents now before them in urns only. While they were buried, Sora bawled loudly, his little heart mourned their loss way too much. Vanitas stood at his side, an arm around his brother in a half hug.

"Please never leave me alone, Vani. Promise." Sora sniffed, wiping some tears and snot away from his face. After days and weeks of staying mostly silent, Vanitas spoke for the first time again, whispering to his brother. "I'll always be there, Sora. Whatever happens, I will never leave your side, promise." He embraced Sora a little tighter. They stayed hugged together until the end of the burial.

Their new home was called "Kindred Hearts Orphanage". It was a rather rundown house in the middle of nowhere, outside the city. There was a little chapel near the main building and a playground that had seen better times. Even though the first look seemed uninviting, the head priest welcomed the brothers with open arms. "Welcome to Kindred Hearts Orphanage, your new home. Come on in my poor souls, a warm meal is already awaiting you." he said with a gentle tone in his voice.

Sora and Vanitas clung to each other as they entered the building, eyed by the other kids and helpers inside the dining hall. Vanitas didn't let go of Sora's hand when they ate their bland soup in silence. Would this really be their new home? Surrounded by strangers, unsure of their future, they both seemed lost in their thoughts.

Sora wished to find trust in the adults, they may not be their mom or dad, but they were here to help them, right? They were here to protect them from harm. That's what Sora wanted to believe. Vanitas seemed to ignore every person, be it another child or an adult. For him, no one was worth to talk to, to even remember. He loved their parents so much, but now that some drunkyard had taken them away so cruelly, he couldn't find trust in anyone. Maybe the next person will hurt his beloved brother? No one was to be trusted.

Both brothers insisted to sleep in one bed together, Sora still cried a lot when his thoughts and memories ran wild. Vanitas wanted, no, needed to be there for him. As they both lied cramped together in the small bed, Sora fought with his tears again. He had slowly calmed down and fell asleep cuddled up on Vani's shoulder. Vanitas stayed awake, staring silently at the ceiling. It was dark, but he could see it again. The blood dripped down from the ceiling and over the walls. He knew he shouldn't see this, this shouldn't happen, so Vanitas kept it his secret.