An Extraordinary Household

(rough draft)

Kingdom Hearts fanwork: Mix and Match Challenge by XxCrimsonOblivionxX, written by Raberba girl

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Aqua does not appreciate her friend Zack barging in while she's baby-sitting five-year-old Xion, but it turns out to be a good thing he showed up after all. It's easier to save the world when you've got a little help. Modern fantasy AU; no slash.

A/N: I did not use any of the beginning sentences from the list...sorry. :/

Chosen plot: 11.(character) is a baby sitter and decides to snoop around (his/her) employers home. What (character) finds is pretty shocking.

Chosen main characters: I. Vanitas, Xion, Zack, Aqua

Chapter 1

"Aqua," Saïx said, pausing on the threshold. He tilted his head a little, frowning as if something had just occurred to him. "I realize that you might have already made plans for tonight, or were busy, and that I called you on very short notice... Thank you for coming."

"It's fine, Mr. Tsukino," Aqua assured him. "I was just going to stay in tonight and work on homework, anyway, so it's not really any trouble."

"Do you hear that, Xion?" Saïx said sternly to the five-year-old girl fidgeting nearby. "Aqua is not here to play. Amuse yourself until bedtime, obey her without arguing, and don't cause trouble."

"I won't, Daddy," Xion sighed.

"We can play a little bit," Aqua said, putting an arm around her. "You can help me study for my test tomorrow, and then I'll do the rest after you go to bed, okay?"

"Okay."

"Don't let any strangers in," Saïx warned Aqua.

"I won't," she said dutifully.

"Listen. This isn't simply one of the usual safety guidelines when baby-sitting; I am quite serious. Even if they act as if they will force their way in, do not give them permission, and do not tell them any names - not Xion's or your own or ours, no one's. Do you understand me? This is very important."

Aqua stared at him. She always tried to be careful and responsible, just as a matter of principle, but this wasn't the first time Saïx (or Axel, for that matter) had made weird rules or warned her about the kids' weird allergies or put unusual emphasis on things that Aqua either took for granted or never even thought would be important. "Do you...think that someone might try to break in?"

"No," Saïx said sharply. "The trouble lies elsewhere - that's what I'm going to take care of. I'm simply saying that in the event of an unexpected emergency - absolutely no names, and absolutely no permission. I am expecting you to stand your ground and keep this child safe." It was a little strange how he never referred to Xion (or Roxas) as his own children, even though they both called him their father. They called Axel their father, too, but the two men had different surnames, and Aqua knew for a fact that Axel occasionally went on dates that didn't involve Saïx. She had never been able to figure out this household's specific dynamics, and had never felt comfortable enough to ask.

"Yes, sir," Aqua said solemnly, squeezing Xion a little tighter. Something prompted her to say, "You - come home safely, too, all right? You and Mr. Hayes and Roxas. Xion would be so sad if anything ever happened to any of you."

"Yeah," said Xion.

Saïx gave one of his very rare smiles, small but still recognizable. "Axel and I can handle it, as long as we know that the children are safe. It's one less distraction to know that we've left Xion in your charge."

"I'm honored to have your trust, sir." Aqua always naturally felt more formal and alert around Saïx, as if she was speaking to a professor or a boss, whereas she was more careless and familiar with Axel. Their styles and demeanors were so very different, yet they seemed to get along so well... 'Next time I see Axel,' she thought, 'I'll ask him how their family works. I'm getting too curious.'

After Saïx left, Aqua and Xion looked at each other. "Ready to help me ace my test?"

"Yup!"

Since Xion was still just a beginner at reading, and couldn't pronounce most of the words on Aqua's flash cards, she honestly wasn't much help, but the two girls enjoyed spending time together, anyway. Aqua soon ended the study session and then played with Xion for a little while before going to start dinner. Xion was a vegetarian and had a hard time with leftovers or cooked food - even though Aqua didn't have to cook or warm up anything, there was still a lot of cutting and chopping to do.

"Mmm, peaches," Xion said, stealing a piece from the plate Aqua was trying to prepare.

Aqua chuckled. "Almost done, love."

Her cell phone rang almost as soon as she'd finished. "Ugh, Zack," Aqua muttered upon seeing the caller ID. "I told you I'm busy tonight..." They were childhood friends, though lately, Zack seemed to be under the impression that he was in love with her. Which Aqua was pretty sure wasn't true, since the one who turned Zack into a doofy blushing sap was their mutual friend Aeris at school. Unfortunately, until he figured out his own feelings, Aqua had to keep putting up with his antics.

After a moment of hesitation, she answered the call, against her better judgment. "What do you want?"

"Aqua~!"

"I'm baby-sitting, Zack."

"I know! I'm outside the house."

"What?!"

"Let me in! I wanna show you something."

"Zack!"

"Zack?" Xion said with interest. She and her family had met Zack several times before, and she had taken a liking to him. "I wanna see Zack!"

Aqua went over to the living room window at the front of the house, saying into her phone as she did so, "I'm not even supposed to let anyone inside, anyway."

"Aww, Aqua."

"Daddy said don't let in strangers," Xion said craftily, following her. "Zack's not a stranger! Me and you and Roxas and Dad and Daddy know him."

"Xion wants me," Zack said persuasively. "Maybe my best friend and the love of my life hates me, but Xion has better taste."

Aqua frowned at him as he gave her Puppy Eyes through the window. "Zack, you can't just barge in when their parents aren't home."

"I won't do anything bad, I promise!"

Xion opened the door before Aqua could stop her. "Hi, Zack!"

"Hi, princess!" Zack squealed, hugging her. "At least you're nicer than Master Aqua here."

Xion giggled. "Aqua follows all the rules like Daddy, but it's okay, you can come in because we know you're not bad."

"Xion," Aqua said in exasperation. She looked around apprehensively, wondering, not for the first time, if the house had hidden cameras installed or something.

"Look at the stable we made for my ponies!" Xion said eagerly, tugging Zack over to show him.

"Oooohh, cool!"

"All right, you've seen the ponies. Now get out," Aqua said.

"No, wait, Aqua, you gotta see this!"

Zack pulled up a video on his phone and angled it so both the girls could see. "You're on a stage!" Xion exclaimed in delight.

"That's my band, Xion! My brothers and I got a gig at Costa del Sol. Demyx is the guy here singing, with the guitar; Gippal's back there on drums, and this one's me, see? I do bass guitar and background vocals. And that's our cousin Baralai on the piano."

"Coooool!" Xion said breathlessly.

"Zack, this could have definitely waited until tomorrow," Aqua said firmly.

"Aqua! It's Costa del Sol! Costa del Sooool!"

"LEAVE, ZACK."

"Meanie."

Being Zack, of course he didn't leave. He showed Xion more videos and pictures of his band as she ate her dinner, then he helped himself to dinner (cooking a portion for Aqua, too, as if that somehow made up for it), then he and Xion went to play with her pony toys, and Aqua finally just gave up. She was too apprehensive to ask Saïx, so she texted Axel instead, asking how he felt about Zack's presence. While she waited for a response, she went to do more homework.

Somehow, the game turned into a mix of pony/walk-tag/I Spy/hide-and-seek instead. As Xion hurriedly shuffled past again, with Zack shuffling in pursuit waving a purple unicorn, Aqua ordered, "Brush teeth and bed in fifteen minutes."

"'Kay," Xion called absently, then waved her yellow pegasus and said, "I see a green apple! Now I have 14 points!"

"Argh, no fair!" Zack called back playfully.

A few minutes later, they had been at the other end of the house for a while, and it had gotten quiet enough for Aqua to get lost in concentration. There was a sudden crash. Aqua looked up in alarm, then cursed both herself and Zack as she heard Xion wail. "XION!" Aqua yelled, rushing toward the sound.

Zack nearly ran into her, hurrying back toward the living room with Xion in his arms. "I'm sorry!" he cried, his face pale. "She tripped on a toy and fell into this shelf that had, like, this rock thing-"

Aqua pulled Xion into her own arms, shushing soothingly as she carried the girl into the hall bathroom. Xion's cries had lowered to dull, resigned sobs as soon as Aqua had taken charge. "My knee huuurts," she said tearfully. "It's bleeding. I hurt myself."

"I know, love," Aqua said soothingly, wadding up a paper towel and pressing it to the cut on Xion's leg. Though it was producing an alarming amount of blood, it was thankfully not a very large cut. "Zack, find some Band-Aids," Aqua snapped.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

Aqua cleaned up Xion's leg, then had the girl press a fresh paper towel against the cut, and leaned through the bathroom door. "Zack, where are those Band-Aids?!"

"I don't know!" he cried frantically, looking up from the kitchen drawer he'd been rummaging through. "I checked all the cabinets, but I can't find any..."

Even though she had seen Zack check the bathroom cabinets already, Aqua checked them again, but found nothing useful. There was a Band-Aid box, but it was empty. "Hmm. Stay here for a minute, sweetie, all right? We're gonna find some ointment and Band-Aids for you."

"Okay," Xion sniffled.

Aqua made Zack stay with the child to keep her company, then began her own search. She was hesitant to even enter Saïx's room, but felt more comfortable going through Axel's, since her intentions were honest. The problem was that Saïx's room was the one that had its own bathroom, making it more likely to contain what she sought...

Aqua took a deep breath and was about to try it, but absently pulled open Axel's closet door before leaving, just in case there was anything in there she could check first.

She nearly screamed. The sheer unexpectedness of it made her jump even before realizing what she was seeing. Then she did register the sight, and her entire body went cold in horror. 'Wh-What...what is- What?! What is thi-?!' "Z-Zack," she tried to call, but his name stuck in her throat, and she could not tear her eyes away from what the closet contained. "Zack...!"

To be continued...

Author's Notes: And of course, whatever is in the closet will now be a letdown, since I made a big production out of the cliffhanger; but if I found something like that when I was baby-sitting, I would totally freak out. ^^;;;;;;;;

I tried to justify Zack barging in as much as possible, but I'm still uncomfortable with it. *sweatdrop* You shouldn't let your friends hang out with you when you're baby-sitting...

I've already written most of the rest of this story, I just need to finish the final scene of the epilogue. (And I need to type everything.) There's five chapters total, including the epilogue. Sorry in advance that the story will seem kind of rushed, and that the chapters are shorter than I'm used to - this whole fic is shorter than some of my one-shots, but the challenge specifically called for a multi-chapter, so that's how I wrote it. ^^; (It's funny how much longer fics that I intend as one-shots are very difficult to have to break up when they get too long, but this story, which is comparatively short, was easily broken up, since it was designed to be a multi-chapter. XD Sorry for the random observation, I just found that interesting...)

I couldn't imagine Aqua snooping around in a negative sense, so I tried to give her a legitimate reason for why she'd be searching the house.

Could not think of a title again. -.-;

Zack (FF7), Gippal (FF10-2), & Demyx (KH) all have the same voice actor in Japanese (Zack & Gippal have the same in English, too), so I usually think of them as connected in fandom. XD And Gippal's & Baralai's (FF10-2) English voice actors are brothers. :3

I have a 100.2/37.8 degree fever. No wonder I haven't felt well all day. *sweatdrop* Oh, and many apologies to everyone whose messages I didn't answer, since I was too busy drawing/coloring/posting a picture of Riku and his brothers on Friday instead of answering e-mail like I was supposed to. :ohnoes: