A/N: The quote at the beginning is from the song "Australia" by the Shins (Hence the title). Kind of a little challenge I'm making for myself. I picked five random songs off my iPod and I'm writing one-shots for each. If you like this check out Intolerance, my multi chapter story. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy!
Australia
"You haven't laughed since January."
Vanitas fingercombs his hair, then slaps some shaving cream on his face. He stares blankly at the bathroom mirror as he starts shaving. As he works, his eyes stray from his own reflection. They look to an empty spot behind him. A girl should be standing there.
His girl.
xxx
"You holding on?"
He feels her nod behind him. He laughs. Her nerves must be killing her right now, so much that she's forgotten he's not facing her and can't see her. He twists a key and the bike beneath them whirrs to life.
Xion's arms close tighter around him. "Vanitas, maybe we shouldn't do this. I'm... kinda scared."
"Don't worry baby. I'm an excellent driver." She scoffs behind him.
"Don't even try lying to me, Van. I've seen you drive my jeep before."
"Oh, come on. I only got into one accident..."
"Uh, two," she corrected.
"Oh, yeah. It was two, wasn't it? Huh," he mumbles, stroking his chin. "They were both minor, though. Besides, I'm better on a bike." He half-turns to her, smiling. "Trust me."
"Ok." Nodding, she smiles back. She shakes a little as she says those words, probably from nerves. But her arms close even tighter around him, signaling she's ready.
He laughs from sheer excitement, and the feeling gets so intense that he starts shaking, too. He's waited for this moment ever since he met her, and after months of coaxing here it finally is.
He imagines it all now-the open road, his bike, his girl...his own personal heaven, stretching out before him.
xxx
"Ouch!" His hands draw back from his face. His reflection comes back into focus. It still wears the same apathetic look, but now a dot of red takes shape on its chin. He sticks bit of tissue over it and rinses the razor.
As long as he can remember, he's been a haughty person-cynical and even cruel at times. So it was strange, how freely he laughed around her, and how often she made him smile. He would probably miss that the most...No, no he'd miss her smile the most. Her laugh. Somehow, those things made his heart feel fuller than anything else ever could.
And he wouldn't see or hear them again.
xxx
Now in a meadow, just off the road. The bike's lying in the grass and he's scoping out the terrain.
She turns to him then; doesn't she? She says softly, almost too softly, "I've never felt this happy before." She says that, her voice thick with surprise...
They make love in that meadow. Wake up the next day to a perfect sunrise over the perfect trees in a perfect clearing. And on the ride back, a truck rams into his motorcycle, sends the two of them flying off. He only gets a few bruises. For him, it's a another minor accident. But she hits her head, hard.
A/N: Wow...Depressing. If you wanna cheer up, check out McPherson is Rehearsin' to Swing. Also, if you like either of these, give a look at Intolerance, my new multi chapter story. I'm trying to get 100 reviews on that. I know it's asking a lot, but with your help I can do it! Please give it a gander if you've got the time.