Author's Note: Hey, guys. This is my first request story. It was requested by the talented Master'sEnd. This is a Vanitas/Xion friendship/romance story. I hope you like it, Master'sEnd. I've been working on this here and there for the past few weeks. It was a little slower coming along than I originally planned. Enjoy, friends...

For Master'sEnd

My alarm clock rang loudly, just the same as it did every morning. Six AM, right on the spot. My life was simple, ordinary, and very boring. I needed something exciting, something new, something dangerous or I would go insane! Well, according to my brother, Sora, I was already insane, but who cares what he thinks? I was sick of this rut I was stuck in.

I shuffled to the bathroom to take the same shower I always took for school. I let the hot water run over my body and the steam relaxed my muscles as I breathed it in. The sameness of the shower didn't bother me. I liked it because it prepared me for the dreary day that awaited me. But I'll confess that, at least once, I was tempted to take a cold shower just for variety. I never went through with it though.

I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off with the towel that was hanging just outside the shower stall, yet again in the same place as always. My routine was the same as well. I would brush my teeth, spike my jet-black hair in the same style as always, and put in my yellow contacts. I liked to wear yellow contacts. I had ocean-blue eyes like my twin brother and my natural hair color was chocolate brown, just the same as his. I loved my brother, but I didn't want to look exactly like him.

I went back to my room and grabbed some clothes. I wore my black Megadeth "Rust in Peace" shirt. It was my favorite shirt. I put on a pair of dark jeans and my black Ed Hardy sneakers that said "Love Kills Slowly," a statement that I believed with all my heart.

I met Sora downstairs for breakfast. He was like a black hole when it came to food. By the time I got there, he had already eaten an entire plate of bacon, eggs, pancakes, and biscuits. "Sora, did you even taste that?" I asked the bottomless pit that I called my twin.

"Yep," he said. "It was good too. Thanks mom," he called out to our mom, who was through the house getting ready for work.

"You're welcome, Sora," she said. "Vanitas, hurry up or you'll be late for school."

"I'm alright, mom," I said. I knew exactly when we would set foot out the door. Nothing came as a surprise to me anymore. I ate my breakfast and Sora and I headed out the door.

It was Monday, so it was my turn to drive. Every day, we'd alternate with our little carpool. I'd drive on Mondays, Sora drove Tuesdays, his girlfriend Kairi would drive on Wednesdays, Crystal drove Thursday, and her boyfriend Kevin drove on Friday. We'd been doing it like that every week since we got our licenses. This would be the last year we'd do that, however, since it was our senior year. I guess some things had to end in my repetitive life.

Kevin, Crystal, and Kairi lived across the street from us so they walked to the car and met us.

"Hey, guys," Crystal greeted us. She had long, honey-blond hair and wore the same yellow contacts that I would wear. She saw how they looked on me and thought they were cool. She really had beautiful, emerald green eyes, but I guess she thought she looked better with yellow. She looked like that blond girl that played Rosalie in the Twilight movies with her contacts in, only prettier.

"Hey," I said, walking up to them. Crystal hugged me and Sora while Kevin shook our hands. Kevin was about as tall as me. He had shoulder-length, dirty-blond hair and light blue eyes. He was also very muscular. "You guys ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Kevin said. We couldn't wait to graduate, but at the same time, we would be sad when it happened. Kevin and Crystal were going off to Radiant Garden University after the summer was over and we wouldn't see them again until Christmas. Sora, Kairi and I were staying here at the Destiny Islands and going to the small community college.

We all got into my black, GMC Yukon and I drove the five of us to school. We'd all been close since we were little. Sora and Kairi had been going out for about two years and were very serious about each other. Kevin and Crystal just got together two months ago, but I could tell that they were really in love. Kevin sat up front with me while Sora, Kairi, and Crystal sat in the back. Sora had his arm around Kairi and Kevin had his hand reached back, holding Crystal's hand. They almost made it seem like love was worth it, but I knew that it wasn't. The only thing that ever came out of love was pain. I knew personally. The last girlfriend I had was three years ago. She was a beautiful girl with long, blond hair and sky-blue eyes. Her name was Namine and I loved her more than anything.

She had been over at my house one night and her brother, Cloud, came to pick her up. She kissed me goodbye and told me she loved me. That was the last time I ever saw her. Namine died in a car accident that night because a drunk driver veered into their lane. Her brother was killed instantly, but they said it took her a few minutes to die. She died on the way to the hospital. I heard the next day that she was dead and I was completely destroyed. That was the day I changed. I closed myself off from nearly everyone except Sora, Kairi, Kevin, and Crystal and my heart grew hard as stone. Namine was only fifteen, she was too young to die! I came to the conclusion that the only thing that came from loving someone was heartbreak. In my mind, it wasn't worth it at all. And I didn't think anyone would ever change my mind.

We arrived at the school a few minutes later and I found a parking spot toward the front. That was something out of the ordinary. We usually had to walk a good distance. I also noticed a car that I'd never seen before. A blue Ford Mustang. It was a relatively small school, so I remembered what cars were usually there and I'd never seen this one before. We must have been getting a new student. I figured I'd eventually meet whoever it was.

We were always a few minutes early. Our lockers were right next to each other so we walked together. The first time, it had just happened like that. Then, as the years went by, we always requested to have our lockers next to each other.

I was walking at the head of the group and looking back at my friends. I didn't even see where I was going until it was too late. I bumped into someone so hard, it knocked both of us down. "Hey, I'm so sorry," I said before I even got a look at who I'd knocked down. I looked forward at who it was I ran into and my heart nearly stopped.

To say she was beautiful would have been an understatement. This girl was like a goddess. Her short, shiny, black hair sparkled in the natural sunlight that was coming through the windows above the lockers. It looked like a million diamonds were perfectly placed in her raven hair. I looked into her violet-blue eyes and my frozen soul melted. There had been only one other girl that ever made me feel like that. It was Namine, and she was dead. This girl made me feel the same way Namine used to. "Don't worry about it," she said. Her voice sounded like the chorus of a million angels. "I'm Xion Yagami. I'm new here and I don't really know anyone."

I regained the ability to think clearly. "I'm Vanitas Hikari and this is my twin brother, Sora. These three are Kevin, Crystal, and Kairi," I said, gesturing to my friends as I said their names. "I'd be more than happy to show you around."

She smiled and I thought I was going to pass out. She was so amazing, so familiar. She reminded me of Namine. I could swear that she was her sister, but Namine didn't have any sisters. She just had Cloud. And Namine's last name was Strife, this girl's was Yagami. "Thank you so much," she said.

"No problem," I said. I knew I probably had a goofy grin on my face, the same one that my brother would get, but I didn't care this time. I turned to my friends and my brother. "I'll be back in a few minutes." I turned back to Xion and we started walking down the hallway.

I showed Xion around the school. I took a look at her schedule and told her the fastest ways to get to her classes. We had two classes together, English and Chemistry. I was secretly happy about that. Xion was really cool. "So, did you just move here?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm from Radiant Garden originally. My dad lost his job when their company went bankrupt and he got an offer from another company here," she said. "We didn't know what we were going to do when dad lost his job."

"I'm glad he found work here, then," I said. I caught myself staring at her as she walked beside me. But I just couldn't help it. She was seriously beautiful. Everything about her was absolute perfection. The way her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, her amazing figure, I couldn't stop thinking about her. "So, you don't know anyone here?"

"No," she said, her voice taking a dark tone of sadness. "I left all my friends back at my old school. I miss them a lot. Especially my two best friends, Roxas and Axel."

"That's sad," I said, sympathizing for her. "Well, consider me your first friend on the Destiny Islands. I think you're going to love it here." The look of sadness she had when she mentioned her old friends disappeared when I said that.

"Thanks, Vanitas," she said. "That means a lot." Just then, the bell rang, signifying that it was time for our first class. "I guess I'd better go. See you in English?"

"Yeah, bye Xion," I said.

"Bye Vanitas," Xion said as she ran to her class.

I stood there and watched Xion walk toward the classroom. I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Sora. "Hey, Vanitas, you there?" he asked, tapping his fist on my head like he was knocking on a door. I grabbed his hand and twisted his wrist around a little. "Hey, let go," he said with slight pain in his voice. I released his wrist and he shook his hand. "So, you like the new Yagami girl, huh?"

"It's not like that, Sora," I said. "You know I don't date. I was just showing a friend around."

"I don't mean to sound insensitive, but you need to get over Namine. She's gone and I know she'd want you to be happy," he said. I wanted to deck him right there, but I knew he was right. I had never let Namine go, and I'd suffered because of it.

"Let's just get to class," I said, dropping the hint that I wanted my brother to drop the subject. He was my twin, so I knew he would get it.

First period flew by fast and the next class was English with Xion. I walked in and managed to get a seat next to Xion. Our teacher, Professor Hojo, hadn't come in yet so we had some time to talk. "Hey, Xion," I said, greeting my new friend.

The dark-haired angel turned toward me. "Hey, Vanitas," she said, smiling. "How was your last class?"

"Alright," I said. "History with Mr. Ansem is always easy. He's, like, 70 years old, but he really knows his stuff. He was probably there for most of it." I chuckled when I said it and Xion laughed a little too.

"I wish I could say that my class was easy. Mr. Xehanort is brutal with Geometry," she said. "It's almost like he expects me to already know all this stuff."

"He does, actually, since it's the middle of the year," I said.

"But it wasn't anything like this back home," she said. "He's covering things I've never seen before, things that aren't even in the book!"

"Don't worry, he always takes it easy on us in the finals. I had him last year for Geometry and he makes the tests easy. I think he just likes to torment you during the year and give you a break at the end," I said.

"Good to know. I think I'm going to love it here," she said. "And thank you, Vanitas."

"For what?" I asked.

"For being my first friend here," she said, trying to keep a tear of joy from escaping. "I thought I'd be all alone. I had friends back at my old school, but I wasn't very popular. I hung out with a group that was always looked down on. You've made me feel welcome and accepted for the first time in a long time, and I'm so grateful to you!"

"It's no problem, Xion," I said with a big grin on my face. "You're a really great person. You remind me of someone actually." I held back tears at the thought of Namine Strife. "You make me feel the same way she did."

"Really? Who was she?" she asked. I was hoping she wouldn't ask, but she did.

"Well, she was my ex-girlfriend. Her name was Namine, and she was so amazing," I said.

"Why did you two break up?"

"We didn't," I said. "She died three years ago in an accident. A drunk driver hit her car. Her brother, Cloud, was driving and they were both killed. The piece of crap that killed them unfortunately survived with minor injuries. I wish it was him that had died!" A tear ran down my cheek. Xion saw it and wiped it away with her thumb.

"I'm sorry, Vanitas," she said. "I didn't know she was dead."

"It's ok. You had no way of knowing she died. I took it pretty hard. Well, I guess I'm still taking it hard. I never let her go. But now, I think I can," I said, looking into her beautiful, blue eyes.

"That's good. Namine probably would have wanted you to move on," she said. "I've lost friends too and didn't think I'd ever get over them. A few years ago, I knew a girl named Aqua. We were best friends. We did everything together. I had no idea that she was depressed, though. Apparently, she had been going through some things and was keeping them a secret from everyone. Her father, Eraqus, found her dead in her room. She shot herself in the head with his old pistol from the time he was a cop. He blamed himself and eventually went insane. He actually died last year in a mental hospital." She looked like she was going to cry at the mention of her best friend. I wondered if that's how I looked a few minutes before when I was talking about Namine.

"I'm sorry to hear about that, Xion," I said, comforting her. I didn't know if the other students were eavesdropping, but I didn't care. "I've never had a friend commit suicide before. I can't even begin to imagine what you went through."

"Thank you Vanitas. It was very hard. I felt like I should have known she wanted to die," she said, holding back more tears. "I felt like there was something I could have done, but I don't know what."

"You did all you could, Xion," I said. "Aqua knew you cared about her. She just couldn't handle life anymore. There was nothing more you could have done. You were her friend and you did everything to make sure she was loved."

"Are you sure, Vanitas?" she said. "I just felt so horrible after she died."

"It's not your fault," I told her, looking into her beautiful eyes. "I haven't known you for long, but I can tell you are a good person who loves her friends. Aqua knew you were her best friend."

"Thank you, Vanitas," she said. "I guess you're right." Our conversation ended when Professor Hojo entered the room and started his lecture on seventeenth-century British literature. I tried my hardest to be interested in what he was saying, but I kept catching myself stealing glances at Xion. She was so beautiful; I couldn't help myself.

Honestly, she reminded me of a black-haired cross between Kairi and Namine. Both were beautiful girls in their own right, and a girl that looked just like both of them was, in my mind, absolute perfection. But though Xion looked like a cross between the two, she also had her unique appearance. Her short, coal-colored hair was thicker than Kairi and Namine's. It looked so silky and smooth. Her violet-blue eyes were also a slightly different shade than Kairi's. They were slightly darker and that just made her look more beautiful.

I snapped out of my daze when the bell rang. "Well, I guess I'll see you in Chemistry," Xion said.

"Yeah, see you then," I said. We parted ways as we both went to our other classes.

I sat between Sora and Crystal in my least favorite class, Physics. Mr. Xaldin always treated me like an idiot if I didn't understand something. Thankfully, the three of us sat near the back of the class so we could talk. When was I ever going to use this, anyway?

Crystal had a huge grin on her face. "So…how was your class with Xion? Are you two going out yet?"

I blushed at the comment. She just twisted a lock of her honey-blond hair through her fingers as she awaited my reply. "No, it's not like that. We're just friends."

"Then why did you blush? If I would have said that any other time, you would have taken my head clean off my shoulders. This is definitely more than just friends. You like her!" Crystal responded. And what burned me up the most, she was right. Crystal could read me like an open book. Really, the only other person who knew me better was Sora. "I see…the silent treatment. Ok, see if I care. I'm right and I know it. Even if you don't know it yet, you love her."

"Is it that obvious," I asked. "Is it written on my forehead or something?" I checked my reflection in my iPod to see if 'I love Xion Yagami' was really on my face. Thankfully, it wasn't.

"I just know you," she stated simply.

Xaldin looked back and saw that we weren't paying attention. "Hey, be quiet back there," he yelled angrily. "I'm trying to give a lecture!" We took that as a hint to shut up and left our conversation unfinished.

The class ended rather quickly, as well as the next class and lunch. It was time for Chemistry with Vexen. Xion wasn't my only friend in that class. Kevin would be there and so would my other friend, Serah Farron. I'd known Serah for a while. She's the one that set me up with Namine. Even thinking about Namine still hurt.

Even though she was still a senior in high school, Serah was already engaged. Her fiancé, Snow Villiers was a good guy. I knew he'd treat her right. I felt sorry for Serah, though. Her sister, Lightning, had just joined the military and was being shipped overseas. Serah is so afraid for her sister. She told us that she had a bad feeling Light was going to be killed-in-action. We all tried our best to comfort her and tell her everything would be ok, but it did little to ease her mind.

I walked into the room and sat next to Xion. She was sitting next to Serah. The two had apparently met and become friends. I was glad for Xion. She needed to make new friends here. "Hey Xion, hey Serah," I said.

"Vanitas," Serah said. She stood up and hugged me. She sat back down and started talking to her best friend, Vanille. I really felt sorry for her about Claire, her older sister that we always called Lightning. She held so much hidden pain. Her sister and Snow were the two most important people in her life.

"Hey, Vanitas," Xion said cheerfully. Mr. Vexen hadn't come in yet so we had time to talk. "How was that last class?"

"It was ok, Xaldin was really boring as always," I replied. I didn't want to tell her about my talk with Crystal just yet. I'd save that for after school. I'd resolved in my mind that I would ask her out after school. "But I do need to ask you something. Can you meet me at your car after school?"

"Yeah, mine is the blue Mustang right in front of the building," she said. "But what is it you wanted to talk about that you can't say here?"

"Just something personal that I don't want everyone else overhearing," I said. "And that means you, Kevin." He didn't know that I noticed him eavesdropping on our conversation. He quickly turned around and started talking to his best friend, Kain Highwind.

Xion laughed. Her laugh sounded so cute, my heart almost stopped. "Ok, I can wait I guess," she said, face red from laughing. She just kept smiling. "You know, Vanitas, I thought I was going to be alone here. I didn't think I'd be able to adjust." She wiped a stray tear from her eyes. "But you've been more of a friend than I had ever hoped for. Thank you so much," she said as she hugged me from across the aisle between our seats.

"It's nothing, Xion," I said. "You're a great person and I love it that you came here." I truly did. She was the breath of fresh air that I needed to spice up my boring, dull, repetitive life. "I've only known you for a few hours, but it feels like I've known you my whole life." I was starting to tread dangerous waters. I needed to stop myself before I said something I wasn't ready to. "There's just something about you. I don't know what it is, but it's there."

"You're too sweet, Vanitas," she said, blushing. Mr. Vexen walked in the room and we had to pay attention. He paired me with Xion for the next day's experiment and lectured the rest of the time.

Class let out and I was forced to spend the rest of the day away from Xion. I went to all my classes and tried to pay attention, but kept finding myself thinking about her. I couldn't help it. She was the first person that made me feel this way since Namine Strife died. Sure, I'd only known her for one day, but this day was the best I had ever had in so long! I've been dead inside ever since Nami was killed. Xion Yagami brought new life to me, and I loved the feeling of it. I was soaking in the sheer joy that she made me feel. I prayed she felt the same way for me.

School was over before I even knew it. It flew by, but also felt like an eternity, if that makes sense. It makes sense to me, so that's really all that I care about. It was finally time to meet Xion and stake it all on one question.

I walked out the door alone. I'd meet Sora, Kairi, Kevin, and Crystal later before we'd head home. I saw Xion leaned up against the driver's side door on her baby-blue Mustang. She was holding a book in her beautiful, gentle hands, The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks, reading to pass the time before I arrived. She tilted her head up to look at me. Her violet eyes twinkled in the sunlight. She replaced her marker into the book and set it in her seat through the open window. "Hey, Vanitas," she said as she walked over and hugged me.

I hugged her back, taking in the sweet smell of her thick, black hair, strawberry, I think, and feeling the warmth of her radiating from her body to mine. I was in Heaven. She pulled away far too soon. "What was it that you wanted to ask me?" she asked, though I had a feeling she already knew by the excited tone in her voice.

That's when my mind went blank. 'Don't screw this up, Van,' I thought to myself. I sucked in a deep breath as I prepared to empty my heart out and say words I hadn't uttered in three years. "Xion," I said, "I've only known you for one day, but I feel like I've known you my whole life. You bring a sense of completeness to me. I feel whole for the first time since Namine died when I'm around you. I want to be around you all the time. Would you go out with me, please?" My heart jumped straight into my throat when I said those words and my mouth felt like the Sahara Desert.

Her eyes grew wide with shock, then wonder, then happiness. "Vanitas," she said, catching her breath. "I don't know what to say. There just aren't words to describe what I'm feeling right now. Of course, I will." She drew closer to me and held me so tight. I held on to her as if my life depended on it. My arms didn't ever want to let her go! She was the first person I'd felt anything for since Namine. Xion Yagami was the saving grace that rescued me from my boring, dull, depressing life. I'd never been happier, and I had a feeling that she was the same. For the first time in a long time, I could say that life was good! I was excited to see what wonderful new surprises Xion would bring in my life!

Author's Note: So, what do you think? Did you like it, Master'sEnd? I know you said friendship, but that little romance just crept it's way in all by itself. lol. That's just my style. Remember to review, people. Author's live on reviews. We literally need them to survive! lol. Remember to check out my three stories, "A Heart Divided," "Hearts of the Olympians," and "Her Scars." Also check out Master'sEnd's stories. They are all really great. Also check out my good friend and writing partner, Dragginninja. Until next time, friends...