A/N ~ Listened to this "Love Story" by Taylor Swift on the radio (I have this song stuck in my head now X3 lol), and I was all, "This is a XehaIsa fanfic! :B" and began writing this little one-shot based off it (it's not technically a real song-fic, but it's mostly based off it)… :3 lol I know that any ages mentioned are apparently different than the characters and the plot is slightly different than in the song in some parts, but I had to tweak them for storyline purposes—consider this an AU if you will. This fanfic is specially made for a friend back on dA.

"A XehaIsa Love Story"

By: Sai

One summer day in Radiant Garden, there was to an annual party going on in the heart of the city that very evening. Ansem the Wise was the one who organized it for this year, and he was hoping it would be the splendid one ever to be celebrated.

His first apprentice, Xehanort, had begged his master to come along. "Please, Master Ansem?" he pleaded, his eyes bright and wide, "You get to take everyone else! Even Ienzo just because he helped with the layout…" "Xehanort," Ansem said, patting his young apprentice on the head, "You're still a little too young to go this year… Maybe next year you can go." But the youthful apprentice was incredibly stubborn. "I'm not too young! I'm 17…" he defended, crossing his arms and pouting, "I can look after myself." Ansem sighed. He knew that it was pointless to argue with Xehanort, and finally permitted him to go to the party that night.

Within hours, Xehanort had finally arrived at Radiant Garden's annual celebration for the first time. His eyes glimmered, reflecting the lights that were shining brightly and lacing the night's sky. "It's so beautiful," Xehanort whispered to his self as he looked up, noticing a balcony, "I must see how everything looks like from up there!"

He saw a flight of stairs, and he excitedly climbed them to the top. From the balcony, he could see from the crowd below to the edge of Radiant Garden's horizon. All he could do was gaze in deep awe; he had never seen such a dazzling skyline.

Little did he know that within the crowd, someone else was gaping in admiration—however, not at the wonders of the party's effects or the city's beauty, but solely on Xehanort. He could only keep his eyes on him, ignoring everything else around him.

"I need to get his attention somehow…" he muttered, looking around him that he could use. He then spotted some small pebbles on the ground. He grabbed a couple, and tossed them towards the balcony, careful not to hit the precious apprentice but to merely make a sound that would lead their eyes to meet each other.

Xehanort's attention soon shifted when he noticed the little tapping noise that the pebbles were making, and he began to look around to figure out from where the noise was. He looked over the edge, and noticed someone looking up at him.

Both of them smiled at first sight. The youthful charmer then realized that he could finally make his move into a better introduction. "Wait there," he said, "I'll be right up…" He hadn't noticed the stairs that Xehanort had originally used, but he did spot some vines along the wall and began climbing up them to his beloved. It was a little more difficult than he'd thought, and all Xehanort could do was watch and giggle at his silly actions, not realizing that he was falling for him.

Once he had reached Xehanort, he ogled to his deep brown eyes, and Xehanort did the same, blushing and giggling.

"Hello," the playful apprentice greeted, "My name's Xehanort." "I'm Isa," the other replied dreamily, still keeping eye contact. Their faces grew slowly closer together for a tender kiss—

"Xehanort!" Ansem interrupted before Xehanort and Isa could do anything. "Master Ansem!" Xehanort gasped. The whole run-in almost made Isa slip off the edge of the balcony. Luckily, Xehanort had spotted him just in time and caught him before a branch snapped, causing Isa to fall. The apprentice pulled him back up and over to his side of the balcony.

Meanwhile, Ansem stormed over to the two lovers. "Stay away from my apprentice!" he ordered fiercely, "I don't want to see you anywhere near him!" And with that, he shoved Isa aside, pointing him to leave down the stairs.

Isa scoffed. "You can't tell me what to do…" he said, glaring at the over-protective master. He then began walking down the stairs.

Xehanort couldn't help but get the sensation of Isa leaving felt like a part of him was going away forever. Then he did something he'd never done before to anyone—he chased after Isa. "Please don't go, Isa…" he begged as he tried clinging onto Isa's clothes, tears flowing down his cheeks, "I—I love you…"

Isa tried to comfort him. "I love you too, Xehanort," he admitted.

The young apprentice then had an idea. "Let's go somewhere we can be just us," he said, giving Isa a tight hug, "As long as I have you, I'll be happy no matter what." "Let's elope then," Isa joked, agreeing to Xehanort's plan. Xehanort's eyes glistened at the concept. "Me…" he thought to himself with a smile, "Together forever with Isa…"

However, one obstacle stood in their way. "Um, Isa?" he asked, "How can we run away if Master Ansem won't allow us to even be near each other?" Isa had already cleverly thought out that side of the plan. "Sneak out to the gardens behind the castle tonight before the party ends," he quietly instructed, "I'll meet up with you when the time is right." "Okay," Xehanort nodded. "And be sure to do all this discreetly," Isa added, "If we're caught then your Master Ansem will make sure we never get to see each other ever again." Xehanort didn't like the sound of that at all and he was clinging onto Isa even tighter.

"I don't want any other type of love but this," Xehanort said, "Master Ansem has always disapproved of me liking guys like you. But I want you, Isa… I don't want to be alone anymore, especially since we've found each other." Isa held him closer. "Don't worry, Xehanort," Isa reassured, "You'll see; we'll make it through…"

Later that night, when the celebration began to lighten up in its crowd, Xehanort strolled over to the back gardens as he was told. He sat on a nearby bench next to a fountain, waiting for his prince. After quite a long time, the apprentice grew tired; he had waited for over an hour now. "I hope he's coming back," he wondered, "If he loved me, he'd return…" Again, he waited for another hour.

With only a small handful of people left in the party, and with the time almost ringing into midnight, Xehanort began to lose faith of ever seeing Isa ever again—be it that night or even forever. He stood up from the bench and began to walk away with tears in his eyes.

Just then, he felt someone gently hold him on the wrist, stopping him from walking away. Curious, he turned to see who it was. "Isa!" he exclaimed happily, finally being able to see his lover once again. He embraced his arms around Isa's neck in rapture. "I thought you'd forgotten about me…" he cried. "I'm sorry, Xehanort," Isa said, "But I had to get you something, and that's why I'm late…" Xehanort forgave him and grew inquisitive to what surprise Isa had for him.

Isa pulled out from a small paper bag, a paopu fruit. "Share it with me, Xehanort," he requested, offering the star-shaped fruit to the young apprentice, "There's nothing more than the fact that I want my destiny intertwined with yours…" Xehanort was speechless. "Have I fallen asleep while waiting for him and this is just a dream?" he mentally asked himself, "Or is this truly for real?"

"Don't worry, Xehanort," Isa said, still holding the paopu fruit, "I discussed it with Master Ansem, and I'll be working with you in the castle. You'll never be alone again, Xehanort…"

The apprentice smiled. He'd never felt so happy in his life than that very moment. "Yes," he said, holding the other end of the paopu fruit, their hands touching, "Just our own little love story…"

Fin

A/N ~ Cute little love story… :'D I had to listen to that song repeatedly to make sure it seemed in place though. X3 –listens to it again- lol :3