"Aqua. Aqua, wake up." Vanitas said softly, trying to shake his girlfriend awake. She grunted and rolled over, not wanting to be woken up yet. "Aqua, guess what today is." Finally the sleeping woman rolled onto her back and opened her eyes. "Morning beautiful."
"Morning, Vanitas." She said, still half asleep.
"Guess what today is." He repeated, a smile crossing his face.
"Mmm… Wednesday?" She guessed.
"No. Well yes, but no. It's been a year." Aqua seemed to wake up almost immediately.
"It's really been that long?" She quizzed, sitting up and looking over at him. His gold eyes were swimming with a happiness that she had never seen before. It made her feel good, even this early in the morning.
"Yeah. One year ago today, you and I got together. I don't know about you, but that makes me happy." He said, excitement in his voice. Suddenly the smell of bacon became increasing obvious. He took a tray off the bedside table and sat it in her lap. That tray held the best breakfast anyone could ask for. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, and hash brows, all fixed just the way she liked, and topped off with a glass of orange juice.
"Van… you didn't have to do this you know." She said, eating a piece of bacon.
"I know, but I wanted to. And don't think I'm done. I'm going to do my best to make this the best day of your life."
"Ventus. Hey man, wake up." Terra urged, nudging the sleeping blonde beside him.
"Mmm… What is it Terra?" Came the boy's response. "Something wrong?"
"No. I want you to wake up though. I can't wait for three days. I want to celebrate today." The brunette said excitedly, looking at Ventus. When Ventus met his gaze, he thought he was going to melt. It had been three days short of a year since they had been together, and Terra had never been happier.
"Wha..?" The still half asleep Ventus asked.
"C'mon, you know what's in three days right?" Terra whined, trying to shake his groggy companion awake.
"Ah. Ter-ra sto-op sha-aking meee!" Ventus pleaded. When Terra stopped shaking him he sat up and shook his head. "Three days… three.. Oh!"
"Yeah! I want to celebrate today. I can't wait three days." Terra said again, hoping Ventus wouldn't ask too many questions. Much to his relief, the blonde simply mumbled okay and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. With a smile, the brunette wrap his arms round his lover and pulled him back toward him. Ventus yelped, but eventually settled down in Terra's arms. "I didn't say I wanted you to GET up yet. I just wanted you to WAKE up."
"But Terra," Ventus laughed, playfully squirming to get free. "I need to get a shower!" Terra let him go, but only after covering the side of his face and neck with kisses. Ventus slid off the bed and stretched before shedding his shirt and looking back at Terra. He laughed when he say the look Terra was giving him. Even after almost a year, that brunette still stared at him like he was a god anytime he removed his shirt. "You are welcome to join me if you'd like." He added as he entered the bathroom. Terra didn't hesitate and was already in the door before Ventus could even think about shutting it.
"Vanitas, where are we going?" Aqua asked curiously, reaching up to take the blindfold he had put on her off. He grabbed her and pulled it back down.
"Aw c'mon, Aqua, no peeking." He said playfully. "You'll see when we get there." It was now about one in the afternoon and he wanted to take her to lunch. However, since he was taking her to her favorite place, he wanted it to be a surprise. The girl at the door recognized them both, but didn't say anything because Vanitas silently asked her to be quiet. Once they got seated, he leaned across the table and removed the blindfold. Aqua blinked several times before realizing where she was.
"Vani, you don't have to keep taking me out. Just being around you makes this a good day." She said, feeling kind of bad that he was doing all this for her, and she hadn't done anything for him.
"I'm not going for good, Aqua. I told you, I'm going to make this the best day of your life." Vanitas retorted, snapping. Three Flood showed up and rushed off, returning soon with their lunch. For him it was a simple club sandwich and for her it was her favorite chef salad. They finished their meal in silence before setting off back to the hotel.
"Vanitas. What do YOU want? You've been doing all this stuff for me, but I haven't done anything for you. I'd like to do at least one thing for you." She asked almost sadly. Vanitas grabbed her by the shoulders immediately and stopped, looking into her bright blue eyes with seriousness.
"Aqua, Don't worry about it. I'm getting what I want right now. I'm with you. You don't have to give me anything." Vanitas said sternly, but not harshly, as he had a smile on his face. "I'll hopefully get what I really want later…" he said silently in his mind. Aqua simply nodded and the continued on their way to the hotel.
When they arrived back at the hotel, Aqua locked the door behind them and turned to Vanitas. "Did you have more planned for today?" She asked, hoping he would say no.
"Yes, tonight, for dinner I'm taking you to Nightwish." He answered. Aqua's eyes got wide.
"V-Vanitas… you understand how expensive that place is, don't you?" She stammered, blushing a bit at the though of him taking her to such a fancy restaurant. He simply smiled and pulled her into a hug, stroking her short blue hair.
"Yes. Nothing is too good or too expensive when you are involved. Do you have something to wear or do we need to go buy you something?"
"No, I've got something. Thanks though. I'm going to go get a shower. Fell free to join me." She said as she departed, Vanitas right behind her.
"But Terra! Why?" Ventus stammered, shutting the door to Terra's room as they returned from lunch. Terra turned back toward him with a smile.
"Because, I told you I wanted to celebrate today. Nothing like celebrating at Nightwish in Radiant Garden."
"Terraaaaaa… That's way too much money and I don't have anything to wear." The blonde argued. Terra walked to his closet and came back with white suit and handed it to Ventus.
"You were saying? Look, Ven. Just let me take you to Nightwish… please." Ventus sighed and looked down at the suit. It had been freshly tailored to fit him. The handy work was easily identified by the pattern of the stitch and cross at the end of the leg. Terra had done this for him.
"Alright. Fine." He said finally with a smile. Terra cheered and looked at the time.
"Alright. We leave in one hour." Ventus nodded and set off to get ready. After he was sure that he was gone, Terra went to his dresser and pulled out a small black box. He quickly tucked it away in the jacket pocket of the suit and went to get ready himself.
Ventus came back after about 45 minutes, fully dressed, showered and ready to go. The suit had fit him perfectly, as they both knew it would. When Terra came out of the bathroom, Ventus couldn't help but stare. The brunette was dressed in a black suit with a white undershirt, his hair was fixed as it normally was, but it all just seemed to pull together to make one very handsome man. "So how do I look Ven?" Terra laughed, noticing the look on his lover's face.
"Fantastic." Came the blonde's simple answer.
"You look outstanding as well. Shall we leave?" Ventus nodded and took Terra's hand. Terra only let go of the blonde to lock the door as they left.
Vanitas paced back and forth as he waited for Aqua to come out. He was nervous, that much was obvious. He was just about to step outside when the bathroom door opened and Vanitas' jaw dropped. Aqua stood in the door way dressed in a long, form-fitting, sapphire blue dress. It was strapless, but formal. "Will this do?" She asked.
"Huh… Yeah. You look… wow… You look beautiful, Aqua." He stammered. "S-shall we go?"
"Sure." She smiled. Her date held out his arm, which she didn't hesitate to take. Together, they departed, stopping only to lock the door.
Upon arrival at Nightwish, he told the woman at the front that he had reservations. She looked through her list before asking him, "Vanitas, private party of four?"
"Yes ma'am." He answered. She nodded and scratched him off the list.
"Right this way." She said, leading them off.
"Vanitas, why is it a party of four?" Aqua asked, still holding on to Vanitas.
"You'll see." He answered simply, pulling her chair out and motioning for her to sit down. The table was back in one of the other rooms by it's self, beautifully decorated with rose petals, violins and a single candle in the middle, bringing more light to the dim-lit area. Vanitas walked around the table and sat across from her with a smile. No soon had he sat down the door opened again as the women let Terra and Ventus into the room. Ventus and Aqua were equally surprised, but Terra and Vanitas looked like they had planned it all.
"Ven! Terra!" Aqua exclaimed, jumping up to hug them both.
"Aqua! We haven't seen you in a year! You look… really pretty." Ventus finished sheepishly.
"You do look beautiful." Terra confirmed, a smile on his face. Aqua looked at Vanitas, then back to Terra and smiled.
"You two planned this didn't you. You both knew that nothing could make me or Ven happier than getting to seen each other again." Both men smiled and shrugged. Aqua gave Terra a hug, then went and kissed Vanitas. "Thanks guys."
"I told you I was going to make this the best day of your life." Vanitas laughed. Aqua returned to her seat and Ventus sat beside her while Terra sat beside Vanitas. Friendly conversation began between the four as they waited on their food. Occasionally Terra and Vanitas would exchange brief, nervous looks, but no one thought anything of it. Their food came soon, much to Ventus' delight. They talked as they ate but still finished quicker that Terra or Vanitas would have liked. Even dessert went by fast, leaving only one thing left to do.
"Terra, you and Vanitas have been glancing at each other all night. What's up?" Ventus asked through his last bite of cheesecake. Terra didn't answer. He and Vanitas rose, pushed in their chairs, stood at the sides of their significant others. Then taking a knee, the both spoke at the same time.
"To this day, you know I still love you. I hope that you will never forget that, no matter what happens here tonight." Their voices were in perfect harmony, as were their movements. Together they pulled black boxes out of their jackets and sighed. There was no turning back from here.
"Ven," Terra said opening his box.
"Aqua," Vanitas said, doing the same.
"Will you marry me?" They said, again together. Ventus and Aqua's eyes got wide.
"T-terra!" Ven stammered. Then he realized that he hadn't answered him. "Y-yes! Of course!"
"Vanitas, of course I will. This is truly the best day of my life." Aqua said, hugging him tightly. "When?"
"In three days." Vanitas answered, smiling, still holding her close.
"What about us Terra?" Ventus asked, letting Terra pick him up bridal style.
"About two hours after their's. Vanitas is my best man." The brunette answered softly, nuzzling his blonde headed fiancé.
"And Terra is my best man." Vanitas said, finally pulling away from Aqua.
"A year a go, you two hated each other. Now ya'll planned a double date, double proposal, and weddings on the same day. What gives?" Aqua asked with a laugh, ruffling Vanitas's hair.
"Well," Vanitas started, fixing his hair. "Let's just say that we-"
"Settled our differences and wanted what was best for you and Ven." Terra finished.
"That's starting to get a little creepy, can you hear each others thoughts?" Ven asked.
"Maybe" The both answered in tandem.
"I suppose we should get back to the hotel, we have got planning to do." Aqua said. Vanitas and Terra looked at each other and laughed.
"Do you want to tell her or should I?" The black haired man asked.
"No, the honor is all yours."
"Alright. Aqua, if you don't mind, we are going with Terra and Ventus. So that you are no longer separated from your friends."
"Vanitas…" Aqua started. Tears came to her eyes as she thought about it. She was finally going home. "Thank you…"
"Well come on! Let's go! I'm tired." Vanitas grumbled playfully, taking his woman by the arm and leading her out. Terra carried Ventus out, much to the blonde's embarrassment. Once outside, the couples said their good byes as they went their separate way for now. Soon though, they would all be together again, just as they had wanted.