Kat here, the other author. Laci currently does not have computer access, so you all are stuck with an author's note from me. I don't have much to say (for once). First, I'd like to thank you guys for the positive response. It was super exciting. Secondly (and lastly), while I'm talking to all of you, I would like to establish that we bear no responsibility for anything that Roxas or Vanitas do. They are entirely out of our hands.

Sort of.

Maybe.

Enjoy the chapter!

August 24, 2011

"Axel, did you see where my hair gel went? I can't find it in all these boxes and bags." The small blonde was making a mess of the living room as he searched, haphazardly throwing the contents of several large packing boxes onto the floor.

"Why do you need it?" Axel asked. "Your hair is already a porcupine."

"It isn't in my toiletries bag," Roxas said, frowning. "VENTUS," he shouted. "DID YOU STEAL MY HAIR GEL AGAIN?"

A head poked in the room. "I'm right next door. You don't need to yell."

"After sharing a room for so many years, you being in a separate room is bizarre as hell," Roxas complained. "You feel way too far away."

"Well, if you don't want to share with Axel..."

Roxas looked at his boyfriend, who was attempting to fix the mess that Roxas had made. "Nope. Sorry, Ven. You're a good twin, but Axel is warmer, and it's not incest to have sex with him."

"Ew, Roxas."

Roxas grinned. He was glad that Hollow Bastion University had apartments right along the edges of campus. He knew it was a feature a lot of schools did not have, and it allowed for all three of the freshman to stay together. "Either way, hair gel. Did you steal it?"

"No," Ventus said, shrugging.

"I guess I'll find it when I'm done unpacking," Roxas said, sighing and glancing at the boxes.

Axel snorted from across the room. "That's the point of unpacking, Rox."

"I hate it. It's the boring part. Everything should just magically fly to where it belongs," Roxas said impatiently.

"If you spent less time eating Axel's face and more time working, you'd already be done. I am," Ven pointed out.

"It's not my fault my boyfriend is a good kisser," Roxas said, poking Ventus. "You should help me unpack."

"I don't care if he's good or not. Don't push him into the wall separating our rooms. I don't want to hear it."

"It was your idea to get the apartment together," Roxas said, shrugging. "I would've been fine sharing a dorm room with Axel."

Ven frowned. "I'm sorry I didn't want to be alone or with a stranger. You didn't have to agree."

Roxas sighed and hugged his twin. Ventus had looked almost hurt by his statement, which he had not entirely intended. "I'm glad we're rooming together, Ven. I'm just saying that it's a package deal. With Axe and I comes PDA."

"PDA I can handle. Sex noises, I can't. I want warning so I can leave. I don't need to hear you doing that."

"Or you could wear earplugs," Roxas pointed out. "I use them when I stay at Axel's and Reno's busy."

Ven made a face at the suggestion. Roxas wanted to laugh at his brother's prudishness, but he restrained himself.

"Fine. We'll give you warning," Roxas agreed. "I expect the same from you if you ever bring a girl here, though, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Or a guy," Roxas said. "Leaving all options open and all."

Ven just nodded.

"Anywho," Roxas said, wrapping his arm around Ven's shoulder. "That whole 'unpacking for Roxas' plan you had..."

"No."

Roxas pouted. "Please?"

"No," Ventus said flatly. He was almost completely immune to his brother's pouting by that point. "Make Axel do it."

"I have my own stuff to unpack," Axel said. "He's on his own."

"See," Roxas said, pulling his brother closer. "You're clearly efficient. If you help me out, I can help Axel out, and before you know it, our apartment will be all set up. That way, we'll be situated when school starts up."

"No one helped me, so I'm not helping anyone." Ventus folded his arms across his chest.

"I helped you pack!" Roxas insisted. Packing was the fun part, and Roxas did not mind it as much.

"So did Mom, but I don't see you calling her and asking for help."

"She's four hours away, Ventus."

Ven shrugged and walked back out of the room. "Have fun!" he called over his shoulder.

Roxas stared for a minute or two at the boxes sitting on the floor of the apartment before turning to Axel. "We're actually going to have to unpack, aren't we?"

"Yes, Roxas." Axel nodded.

"Fucking hell."

"Best get to work, kid."

"No kisses for Axel if he keeps calling me a kid," Roxas said, tearing the tape off one of the few boxes he had not yet searched.

"Which translates to no kisses for Roxas, which he dislikes."

"Roxas has many stores of patience," Rox insisted.

Axel just laughed.

Roxas felt like he should have been offended, but Axel was right, of course. "Okay, that was a terrible lie." Turning his attention back to the box, Roxas pulled out a dish towel and threw it at Axel's head. "How about I unpack all the boxes and you put the stuff where it needs to go?"

"Works for me."

"Perfect." Roxas pulled out the other towels in the box so he could see what else was in there. The box was full of mostly cutlery and plates, with a skillet in the bottom. "It looks like this is the kitchen box."

"To the kitchen?"

"To the kitchen," Roxas agreed after putting everything back in the box.

The two headed to the kitchen and unpacked the box, which took longer than both of them had expected. Roxas kept getting distracted by the things he found in the box; the egg beater in particular was amusing to him, though Axel could not fathom why. After they finally finished the kitchen box, they worked on unpacking their own belongings. The two were not used to sharing a room, and figuring out how to balance their closet and storage space was a bit tricky, but finally, they finished. After a matter of hours, everything was put away.

Roxas still had not found his hair gel.

"Okay, who the fuck has it?" Roxas asked. "VEN, IF YOU STOLE MY HAIR GEL I AM TAKING YOUR CELL PHONE PRISONER!"

"STOP YELLING!" Ven shouted back.

Taking his twin's response as a denial of culpability, Roxas turned to his boyfriend. "Axel, if you stole my hair gel, I am taking away your topping rights."

"What?"

"Did you take my hair gel?" Roxas asked. "I am positive I put it in one of these boxes."

"I haven't touched it."

"Then where the fuck is it?" Roxas frowned.

Axel shrugged. "Hell if I know."

After a minute or two of looking through empty boxes to make sure he had not overlooked anything, Roxas went to the bathroom. "Ven unpacked here. Maybe he put it away in one of the cabinets..."

"You didn't check before you assumed we stole it, did you?" Axel asked.

"Er..." Roxas grinned sheepishly as he pulled his hair gel from the bottom cabinet. "Whoops."

Axel shook his head, and Roxas moved the container to a different area of the bathroom. Having finally located his hair gel, Roxas left the bathroom and returned to the living room.

"FOUND IT, VEN."

"I SAID STOP SHOUTING!"

"IF YOU WANTED ME TO STOP SHOUTING YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME YOU PUT MY HAIR GEL IN THE CABINET."

Ven walked in the room. "But that was half the fun."

Roxas scowled at him. "You are a twisted individual."

"Look at what I'm related to."

"For the last time, Mom is not THAT twisted," Roxas insisted.

"He meant you, Rox," Axel said, helpfully.

"Of course he didn't," Roxas said sweetly. "Look at me. I'm practically an angel."

Both Axel and Ven burst out laughing, and Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Fine, gang up on me, why don't you. When I'm up in heaven, I'll laugh down at both of you."

Ventus scoffed. "Sure thing, Rox. But that means dying before us."

"I didn't say you were still alive," Roxas pointed out. "You could both be down chilling out in hell."

"You obviously just missed the point of my statement," Ven said, shaking his head.

"You two going to heaven is laughable," Roxas said, poking Ventus. "Okay, maybe not for Axel. Anyone that can give a blowjob that good has to be a fucking saint. As for you, though..." Roxas poked him again.

"I did not need to know that." Ven looked like he was in pain. "With your mouth, there's no way you'd get into heaven."

Roxas laughed. "We all know I don't believe in it, anyway. Why clean my mouth up to get into a place that doesn't exist?"

"To spare the rest of the world from having to hear it?"

"I bet God appreciates a good blowjob," Roxas said thoughtfully.

"I bet most guys do."

From Roxas' slightly dreamy facial expression, it was obvious that he was getting a bit distracted by his thoughts. Ven did not feel like dealing with his twin's perversion, so he just shook his head and left again.

"Axelll..."

"No, I'm tired."

Roxas pouted. He had expected to get at least a little bit further before he was shot down. "Fine."

"Have fun with your hand."

Although Roxas was not pleased with the thought, he decided that he was going to have a bit of fun. "Christening the new bathroom," he declared, grinning.

"If you want to think of it that way, sure."

Roxas walked over and kissed Axel. "If I were slightly more awake and slightly less horny, I'd be incredibly pissed off at you."

"Ah, but you love me."

"Your mouth and your dick are my favorites."

"My hair and eyes are insulted."

"They're nice, too," Roxas said.

"Good save."

Although he loved bantering with his boyfriend, Rox was getting a bit impatient, and things clearly weren't going anywhere productive. Roxas kissed Axel's cheek. "When I'm done christening the bathroom I can gush about your hair and eyes."

"Fantastic." Axel walked to the door. "Have fun."

Deliberately being as loud as possible, Roxas took care of things and returned to his and Axel's bedroom. It was not long before he heard a loud scream from the room next door.

"ROXAS, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU."

Roxas smirked. "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO NOT SHOUTING, VENTUS?"

"THAT WAS BEFORE YOU BROKE THE DEAL."

"I TOLD YOU I WOULD WARN YOU BEFORE AXEL AND I HAD SEX."

"I SAID SEX NOISES. THAT MEANS ALL SEXUAL SOUNDS. NOT JUST SEX."

"I SAID WE'LL WARN YOU AND THAT YOU SHOULD DO THE SAME IF YOU BROUGHT SOMEONE IN. I MEANT SEX WITH OTHER PEOPLE NOISES."

"I'M STILL GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU ASSHOLE."

"THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE PULLED THE SHIT WITH MY HAIR GEL."

"IT WAS PUT AWAY PROPERLY. NOT MY FAULT YOU'RE A PIG."

"YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME WHERE IT WAS INSTEAD OF LETTING ME WANDER AROUND SEARCHING."

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP," Axel said, joining in the shouting.

Roxas changed into his pajama pants, leaving his shirt off. "Fine."

Axel glared at him. "If you two ever do that and I'm in the room with one of you, I'm sleeping on the couch or something. For such tiny people, you are really loud."

"We both already knew that."

"Go to sleep."

"Yeah, yeah." Roxas settled into bed, making room so that Axel could lay down with him. When the redhead was done changing, he settled in next to Roxas, pulling the blonde close.

Before long, the apartment was quiet for the first time since the trio walked in. After a long day moving in, they were all asleep.

September 16, 2011

The school year progressed slowly. Axel and Roxas and Ventus adjusted easily, but with homework and classes and freshman orientation events, they were kept busy. It was starting to drive Roxas a little bit crazy-everything so far had been all work, with no time for messing around.

So, one Friday, Roxas decided that enough was enough. He needed a break, and he knew that Axel and Ventus probably did as well.

"I want to go out," Roxas said.

"So go out," Ventus said.

"Axel, is there anything going on around campus?" Roxas asked.

"Why are you asking me?" Axel raised an eyebrow.

"You're a people person that is more organized than I am," Roxas said. "Surely you know about something."

"Well there is this one party..."

"We're going," Roxas declared immediately. "And Ven is coming with us."

"What? No I'm not."

"Yes you are. Axel, what kind of party is it?"

"Just a generic get drunk off your ass party."

"You in?" Roxas asked Axel. It sounded absolutely perfect to Roxas and he knew that Axel was probably game for it, but he did not want to make any assumptions.

"Sure, why not?"

Roxas beamed. "Ventus, you're coming, then. It's decided."

Ven frowned. "No."

"Please?" Roxas asked, turning his big blue eyes on Ventus. "Just this once? I just want you to have some fun."

"Getting drunk isn't fun. Being around drunk people isn't fun. I wouldn't have fun."

Roxas did not let up. "You've never really tried, though, have you?"

"That one time..."

"That was an awful party," Roxas said, making a face. "This is a college party. You should try at least one."

"But, Roxas..."

"But what? I've never seen you drunk off your ass before."

"That's because I never intend to be."

Roxas looked at his twin. He knew Ventus well enough to know that he had already won, but he had to get Ven to verbally give in. "Just one night. Please, Ven?"

"Fine," Ven said, though he did not look happy about it.

Roxas ruffled his hair. "Thank you. Let's get dressed up and we'll head out."

"Okay."

It did not take Roxas long to get ready. He had gone to enough parties over the years that he already had a sort of routine for himself. As soon as he was dressed and ready to go, he focused his attention on his twin. Ventus was sitting on the couch, still in the same clothes.

"Up," Roxas said. "We need to dig through your closet."

"What? Why?"

"To see if you have anything that looks less stodgy. If not, you can borrow something of mine."

Ventus glared at Roxas. "My clothes are just fine. That was not part of the deal."

"One night," Roxas said, using his best puppy dog eyes. "You'll stick out like a sore thumb, otherwise, and you'll be uncomfortable."

"I'm already uncomfortable."

"Meaning it will be even worse if you wear that," Roxas insisted.

"Maybe you should just drop the idea and let me stay home."

Roxas looked at Ventus. "Fine," he said sadly. "I just didn't want to leave you all alone. You don't even have to drink. I just wanted you to get out a bit, make some friends."

"I don't want friends that drink, because I don't drink. I also don't want drunk people hitting on me."

"Not everyone at the party will be drinking. Surely you'll find someone. Besides, if you stick with Axe and I, that should deter people a bit."

"But..."

Roxas' puppy dog eyes returned. "Please? I'll make you look ridiculously hot and you can chill out with Axel and I. You don't have to go if you REALLY don't want, but..."

Ventus sighed. "I already said I would. I just don't want to go as someone I'm not. I'm not ridiculously hot or whatever."

"Ventus, we're twins, and I'm smokin'."

"There are more aspects to attractiveness than just appearance. You have the personality for it."

"You could, too, if you let loose just a little."

"But I don't," Ventus said bluntly.

"But you could," Roxas insisted.

"What if I don't want it?"

"Then you shouldn't be griping."

"I just want to wear my clothes and be comfortable with what I'm wearing."

Roxas took a good look at what Ventus was wearing before deciding that if he was going to win, he would need to compromise just a little bit. "Here. Your pants are fine, but you have that one blue shirt that you like that looks really good on you. Wear that instead."

"What's wrong with this one?" Ventus said, toying with the hem of his shirt. "It's green. Green is nice."

"It's not the color that's wrong, it's the shirt itself. You're swimming in it."

"It's nice..."

Roxas shook his head. "It doesn't fit for going to a party."

"It's just a shirt, Roxas."

"It matters."

"Why?"

"Trust me," Roxas said. "You don't want to draw too much attention to yourself, and if you look like you are swimming in your clothing, you will stick out."

"Fine..."

Roxas smiled and tossed him the blue shirt. "Thank you, Ventus."

"Yeah, yeah. Be glad I love you."

"I am. You're fantastic. This is going to be so much fun." Roxas' tone was already brightening.

"We'll see."

"It really is, Ven. Parties are fun."

"If you say so..."

"So," Roxas said, grinning and poking his twin.

Ven half-smiled and changed his shirt. "Better?"

"Much. AXEL, YOU READY?"

"ALMOST," Axel called back.

"Axel takes forever," Roxas explained. "Always."

A minute later, Axel walked in the room. "Done. Happy?"

Roxas kissed him on the cheek. "Incredibly. Where is the party on campus?"

"Just follow me."

"Okey dokey. Onward!" Roxas held his fist dramatically in the air before following Axel.

Axel laughed as the three of them left the apartment.

They arrived at the party right as it was starting to hit full swing. Roxas immediately felt at home in the bright lights and the throngs of people. They made their way through the crowd, Roxas having brief conversations with people he had never met before, shouting over the loud music so the other people could hear him.

He loved parties.

On the other hand, Ven was trying to make himself look as small as possible, quietly trailing behind Roxas and Axel as they walked amongst the people.

Roxas turned around, and when he saw Ventus, he made a small tutting noise. "You aren't a turtle," he said, grabbing Ventus' wrist and dragging him along. "No hiding in your shell. Relax. These people don't bite."

"Some people have strange fetishes, Roxas. Like biting."

"That's true," Roxas said, thinking for a second. "Okay, maybe some of these people bite, but only if you're okay with it."

Ventus did not loosen up even a little, despite Roxas' efforts. "It's too loud here. I don't like it."

"Then let's move away from the speakers a bit."

Ven nodded.

"You know that brings us closer to the bar area," Roxas said, pulling Ventus along.

"Better than going deaf."

Roxas nodded, grabbed Axel, and moved closer to the bar, where things were slightly quieter.

"Want something to drink?" Roxas asked the other two.

Axel nodded, but Ven shook his head.

"You sure?" Roxas asked. He wasn't going to push his younger brother too much towards drinking. Getting him to go to the party at all was enough of an accomplishment for him. However, it might help Ven loosen up a bit. "I could get you something just to hold, so you don't stand out."

"I... Fine, okay. That works."

Roxas smiled. "Awesome." He went up to the bar to get their alcohol. When he returned, he passed it out to the other two.

"Time to have some fun."

Once Axel and Roxas went off to join the mass of dancing college students, Ven found somewhere relatively safe and quiet to sit and people watch. He would occasionally fake drinking, but never did more than that.

"Why hello there." A short brunette with spiky hair sidled up to Ventus, who had been staring intently at the crowd, his full beer bottle in his hand.

Ven startled a little, having zoned out. "Hi..."

The boy laughed. "You looked a bit uncomfortable, and you were all by yourself. I thought I'd say hello."

"Oh. I just... My brother dragged me here."

"Sociable brothers are annoying, aren't they?" The brunette rolled his eyes. "I have one of them as well."

"He's not annoying at all!" Ven insisted. "He just wants me to have fun sometimes."

"But you aren't."

"I could if I tried."

The boy looked Ventus over once. "I could help, if you'd like."

"How...?" Ven looked at him suspiciously. He did not look untrustworthy or perverted. His hair was a bit odd, but Ven was used to having people with spiky hair around. His eyes were a strange shade of golden yellow, but Ven knew the color was probably caused by color contacts or something. It was a bit eerie, but nothing too alarming.

"Just dancing," the boy said, holding up his hands. "No funny business. Promise."

Ventus considered it for a moment. "Okay. But the second you try anything..."

"You have every right to stop me."

Ven nodded.

"Let's go, then," the boy said, smiling. "You're going to have to leave the Awkward Corner, though."

"Oh, but I'm so fond of it."

The brunette laughed. "Well, once I introduce you to dancing with people, you won't want to go back."

"We'll see."

The boy dragged Ventus out of the corner. "Yes, we will."

As soon as he was out of his corner, Ven tensed up again.

"Relax," the boy said lightly. "No point in freezing up now. You're already halfway there."

"Sorry."

"What's your name, anyway?" the brunette asked as he navigated easily through the group of people.

"Ventus. What's yours?"

"Vanitas."

Ven nodded. "Okay."

Finally, Vanitas picked a place to settle in and started to dance, swaying in time to the music. "Move a bit," he told Ventus. "You're so stiff."

"I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not much of a dancer."

"It's not hard. Move to the rhythm of the music."

Slowly, Ven started to try doing just that.

Vanitas smiled. "It's progress, but you're still really stiff. Don't think so much. Just relax."

"I just don't want to mess up..."

"That's the beauty of it. There's no messing up. I can guarantee that ¾ of the people here are drunk already, and a lot of them won't remember this in the morning. Go out on a limb, Ventus."

"But..."

Vanitas made eye contact with Ventus. "Relax," he ordered.

After a moment, Ven was visibly relaxed.

"Now dance," Vanitas said, smiling slightly.

Ventus nodded and tried dancing again. Vanitas smiled. The boy's movements were much more fluid and much less forced. Clearly, this was a rather malleable human. He took direction well.

"Isn't this more fun already?"

"Yeah."

After ten minutes of just dancing, though, Vanitas was starting to get bored. He was there for a reason, and it was not to waste his time dancing with the teenager.

"Ventus, are you ready to have more fun?" he asked, leaning closer to the blonde.

"Sure."

"We're going to try something, then."

"What's that?"

Vanitas smiled and grinded against Ventus. Eyes widening, Ven stepped back a little. Vanitas knew immediately that the blonde was not relaxed enough to go along with what he was doing, so he would have to use a bit more compulsion.

Vanitas met Ventus' eyes. "This doesn't bother you."

"B-but..." Ven's protest trailed off.

"You are comfortable with me. You trust me, no matter what."

"I trust you," Ventus repeated.

Vanitas grinned. "I thought so." He started grinding against Ventus again, and this time, Ven didn't freak out. Vanitas decided to push his luck a little bit more.

"You're turned on. You're going to head somewhere else with me."

"But, Roxas..."

Vanitas held Ventus' face so that he could see his eyes even more closely. "You will tell your brother you are leaving with someone. You will not tell him who." He's probably too drunk to ask, realistically, Vanitas thought. "Immediately after, you will head somewhere else with me."

"Okay," Ventus said. Vanitas released him, and Ventus tracked down his sibling.

Roxas was dancing with Axel when his brother approached him. "Heya, Ven." Roxas' speech was slightly slurred. "Wazzup?"

"I'm leaving."

"Huh?" Roxas said, frowning slightly. "Already? Aren'tcha havin' fun?"

"I am. I just..."

Roxas narrowed his eyes slightly before it clicked. "Ohhh, you're gettin' laid! Have fuuun. Be back before noon tomorrow."

"Sure, Rox. See ya."

"Don't forget a condom!" Roxas shouted after him.

Ven felt his face heat up as he walked back to Vanitas.

"What did he say?" Vanitas asked, smirking at Ventus' blushing face.

"Nothing."

"Tell me what he said."

"Nothing."

Vanitas sighed and turned Ven's face. Compelling the boy was starting to get tedious. "Tell me what he said."

"He was just being embarrassing."

"Have you not had sex before?"

Ven shook his head.

"Have you ever done anything with a boy?" Vanitas started moving towards the door, dragging Ventus along with him.

Ven shook his head again.

"So I'm breaking you in, then?" Vanitas brushed a finger against Ven's cheek.

"I-I guess."

"Remember, you trust me," Vanitas said, sensing the boy's hesitation.

"I know."

"No matter what." Vanitas' eyes had a frightening gleam.

Ventus nodded.

Reassured slightly, Vanitas nodded and started moving forwards again. "I'm going to bring you back to a friend's house. I'll make sure you get home safely."

"Okay. I trust you."

Vanitas smiled and glanced at Ventus' pants. "I know you're probably a bit uncomfortable, but you'll have to hang in there just a bit longer. It's a five-minute walk."

Ven just nodded.

It didn't take long to arrive at the house. Vanitas unlocked the door and let Ventus in, locking the door behind them.

"Follow me."

Vanitas led Ven to the bedroom and flipped the lights on. Ven followed slowly, looking around. The bedroom was nothing special; there was a desk in the corner of the room, a small dresser, and a large bed that took up most of the room. It looked more like a hotel room than it did someone's house. The bed was made, with the sheets folded perfectly. It made Ventus wonder if anyone actually regularly slept in the bed or if Vanitas was a neat freak.

Ventus did not have long to wonder, though. Vanitas pulled him down onto the bed next to him, and when they were settled in, Vanitas looked Ventus in the eyes again. "We are going to have sex. You are not going to fight me. You are not going to argue with anything I do. You will enjoy yourself, and you will not tell anyone exactly what happened here. If anyone asks, you will blush and freeze up, but you will not tell them who I am, and you will not tell them anything bad. You will tell no one where we are. You will not show anyone where we are."

"Okay," Ventus said, his voice sounding calmer than he felt.

"You will give me your phone number later, and whenever I call you, you will return here as quickly as possible. You will not tell anyone where you are going. You will not let anyone follow you. You will merely say you are meeting up with friends. If anyone questions it too much, you will report back to me, and I will take care of it for you."

"O-okay."

Vanitas was pretty sure that covered all the bases. "Now," he said, his voice softer. "Let's take care of that bulge in your pants. Doesn't that sound good?"

Ven nodded, and Vanitas smiled. With that out of the way, he could finally use the blonde for what he wanted him for in the first place.

"Remove your clothing, Ventus, before I tear it off you."

[TBC]

Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.