Chapter 7
Ventus sat impatiently, tapping his pencil against his desk and glancing at the clock every few seconds. Class would be ending soon, meaning he could go home. He wanted to spend as much time with Terra as possible before he left again. But of course, each minute passed incredibly slow, he had nothing to do for the next ten minutes.
He looked around the room and noticed Vanitas sitting a few seats away. He was scrawling answers onto his homework, most likely wrong answers. "Am I boring you Vanitas?"
"Uh no sir." he said, he sat up straight and looked forward. The teacher had written each of the problems from last night's homework on the board.
"Why don't you step up and do the first problem." he said. Ventus glanced down at his paper and groaned. It was covered in pictures, drawn by none other than Sora.
"I didn't do it." he said. The teacher looked disappointed as he walked over and took the paper from his desk.
"Hearts, and hm, is this who I think it is?" The teacher glanced at him, "I recognize this person anywhere." The entire class leaned forward and waited.
"Well who is it Mr. Stevens?" someone asked. Ven recognized the voice; it was Lea, the red headed boy who hung out with Vanitas sometimes.
"Well Ventus, would you tell us who it is?" Mr. Stevens placed the paper on his desk again and Ventus glanced at it. Another groan escaped his lips. It was Vanitas, a very messy picture of Vanitas. "Ventus, I gave you an order."
"It's Vanitas sir." he said. The entire class roared with laughter and Vanitas glanced up from his work. "But I didn't draw it." Ventus said, "Sora did and-"
"Aren't we a little too old to be having imaginary friends?" Mr. Stevens asked. Ventus glared at his teacher, why was it that he was hated so much?
"He's not imaginary." Ventus mumbled, "He's my little brother."
"You don't have a brother." Lea said, "You came from an orphanage." Everyone laughed again until Vanitas spoke up.
"He does have a little brother," everyone grew silent, "In fact he has two."
"How would you know?" someone asked.
"I've seen them." Vanitas said without looking up, "Now shut up." No one in class dared to disobey Vanitas. He was the worst kid in school and wasn't to be messed with. But the teacher had to press on.
"That still doesn't explain why it's on your paper Ventus." he said. Ventus glanced at the clock again, 1 minute until the bell rang.
"Why else? Those kids think Vanitas is the muffin god." Ventus muttered.
Mr. Stevens sighed, "Ventus you're a lost cause." he said. Ventus rolled his eyes and the bell rang. Everyone got up and he began to pack up, "Aqua invited me to your get-together today, I'll be sure to inform her about your behavior today." Ventus ignored him, what could he possibly tell? He hadn't done anything wrong.
Mr. Stevens walked away and Ventus stood up, he slung his bag over his shoulder and walked towards the door. "Hey Ventus, I need… never mind." Vanitas mumbled.
"What?" Ventus stopped, "What do you need?" Vanitas stood up and crumpled his homework into a ball. He glanced at the teacher before walking into the hall. Ventus followed him, "Vanitas?"
"What time does your thingy start?" he asked.
"Well, Aqua's cooking right now, so maybe at 4." Ventus said.
"Then how about you give me a ride? Me and Xion." he said lowly. He seemed to be embarrassed, as if it was the worst thing in the world to need a rode from him.
"Yeah sure, you mean now?" Ventus asked.
"You too busy?" he asked blankly.
"No, come on." Ventus walked to his class, ignoring the looks he was getting. Everyone knew how much Vanitas annoyed him; they must've found it strange that they were now walking down the hall together. "Vanitas, where's your car?" he asked.
"Long story, I don't want to talk about it." He said. Ventus rolled his eyes and walked out into the parking lot. He unlocked the doors and got in. Vanitas got in as well, right in the passenger seat. "Come on, I don't have all day."
Ventus started the car and pulled out of the school lot, "Where do you live?" he asked.
"Not important." Vanitas mumbled. Ventus raised an eyebrow, how was he supposed to get there without knowing?
"It's a little important." Ventus said, "I can't get there unless I know." Vanitas was silent and Ven sighed. "Well? You know where you live right?"
"You won't tell anybody?" Vanitas asked.
"No, I doubt anyone would want to know either." Ventus said. Vanitas glared at him.
"It's really important that you don't tell anyone." He said, "Promise?" Ven stayed silent, was he really ready to make a promise with Vanitas? They weren't friends and if the police needed to know where he lived, he'd tell. They stopped at a stop sign and Ven glanced at Vanitas.
"Yeah, I promise." He lied. He figured he could use his address as blackmail one day, after all Vanitas seemed desperate to keep it a secret.
Vanitas took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "1232 Santa Fe road…" he mumbled so low, that Ventus barely caught it. But of course, he heard it, and his eyes widened. He knew that address, he knew it somehow.
"You live…with TJ?" he questioned.
0.o.0.o.0
"Kairi says this stuff came from a cow." Sora said as he pointed to his glass of milk, "Is that true?"
"Yes, Milk can come from a lot of animals." Aqua said absently.
"Even people?" Roxas asked.
"Only the women can do it." Aqua replied.
"Like you?"
"Uh, no… not me, I can't do that. You have to have a kid first." Aqua said.
"But you have kid, you're Ventus' mommy right?" Sora asked.
"No, Ventus doesn't have mommy." Aqua said, "She left a long time ago."
"Left where?" Roxas asked. Aqua shrugged, she didn't know much about Ven's past. She knew of the situation with TJ, but that was about it.
The door opened and the boys jumped out of their seats, "Come on Aqua, Ventus is here!" Sora raced from the kitchen to find Ventus, Roxas followed quickly after. Aqua wiped her hands and went to greet Ventus as well.
"Oh, you came early." She said as she noticed Vanitas and Xion.
"Yeah." Vanitas mumbled blankly.
"Alright, why don't you make yourself comfortable, Ven and I will bring you something to eat" she said politely.
"It's fine, I'm not hungry." He said.
"Of course you are." She smiled, "How does cookies and milk sound? Come on Ven."
Ventus followed Aqua into the kitchen, "Why'd you really invite him?" he asked, "Was it really for Sora and Roxas?"
Aqua set down a plate and began to arrange the cookies on it, "I'm sure he's told you all about what's going on at home." She said, "I just think it would be a good idea for him to get away from it."
"Who told you?" Ventus asked.
"It was a rumor at work, but those are always true." Aqua said, "At least the ones at the office are."
"Well, he hasn't told me anything, it's none of my business." He said.
"But you boys are friends right? I'm sure he's told you a lot of things." Aqua said. She turned and reached for the glasses.
"We're not friends." Ventus said, "He's…uh, I don't know. We could never be friends."
"Why not?" Aqua asked.
"I just don't like him." Ventus said, "He's mean."
"Ventus, you don't like a lot of people." Aqua said with a sigh, "And half the time you don't even know why. Like TJ for example, why don't you like him?"
"Well his parents-"
"His parents?" Aqua interrupted, "You don't like him because of his parents? That's not very fair Ventus."
"You don't get it Aqua; he just stood by and let them do it. It wasn't fair." Ventus snapped, "I don't want anything to do with that family."
"Stop it Ven," Aqua said, "He was a kid, one younger then you, what was he supposed to do?" Ventus shrugged, he didn't know and wouldn't think about it. "Here, you take the cookies and put them in the living room." Ven took the plate and left the kitchen, Vanitas was still standing awkwardly near the door.
"Hey, come on." Ven nodded towards the living room. Ventus entered the room and found the three children on the floor, "Hey guys, Aqua made cookies." Aqua set down 5 glasses of milk and left the room.
"Aw, not nana nut muffins?" Roxas said in disappointment.
"Only I can make muffins," Vanitas said, "I'm the Muffin God."
Ventus snorted, remembering his comment from geometry class. But the boys nodded, "That's right, you are." Sora said. Ventus wanted to say that Vanitas hadn't baked a muffin before but then he remembered Vanitas worked at the bakery.
"Do people know you bake for a living?" Ventus asked curiously. He sat down on the couch and looked up at Vanitas, "Don't just stand there, it's creepy."
Vanitas reluctantly sat down and took a cookie in his hand. Ventus watched him closely, waiting for him to take a bite. He stared down at the cookie blankly and Ventus remembered what Vanitas had told him at the park the day before. He wasn't completely heartless, maybe they could be friends, after all he hadn't done anything too bad to him. "Aqua's too nice." Vanitas said finally, "I think she wants to hop in bed with me." Nope, they could never be friends.
"Just eat your cookie." Ventus snapped.
"What's wrong Venny? Are you in love with Aqua?" Vanitas asked.
"Shut up, she's like… my mom."
"No, Aqua said she's not your mommy, you don't have a mommy." Roxas said. Ventus turned his eyes down to Roxas, why would she tell him that? "And Aqua says not to say shut up."
"I'll say whatever I want to." Ventus said.
"Well I'll tell Aqua!" Roxas said, "And you won't get no dessert."
"Well then I'll get the boogey man to come from under Terra's bed and eat you." Ventus said. Fear quickly came over Roxas' face, but it was gone just as quick as it came.
"Well then it's gonna eat you too! We still sleep in the same bed." Roxas pointed. Which was true, even after Terra's friend had left, he couldn't get them to sleep in the guest room.
"They sleep with you?" Vanitas asked, an evil smirk forming on his lips. "Lea's going to love this."
"Oh no you don't, if you tell him about that, I'll tell him about your house!" Ventus threatened. But he instantly regretted it; his situation wasn't nearly as serious as Vanitas' was. He had no idea why it was so important to keep secret but he'd promised, even though he didn't mean it, to keep it a secret. "Never mind, forget it."
"What do you guys keep talking about?" Sora asked, "Did Aqua tell you about the ribs?"
"No." Ven mumbled.
"Well guess what, I told her about the space cows and she said that the ribs in the fridgey-box came from cows." Sora said, "I think it'd be weird to walk around without ribs. Aqua says we all have ribs. Sora lifted his shirt and sucked in his stomach, "See?"
"It's not a fridgey-box Sora; it's a refrigerator, or a fridge." Ventus corrected.
"Hey Sora guess what," Vanitas said seemingly forgetting Ventus' threat, "The cow doesn't walk around after his ribs have been taken."
"Yeah Sora, I bet they get really sad after they lose their ribs." Roxas said.
"No, something else happens." Xion said quietly.
"What?" Sora asked curiously, "Do they get sick?"
"No." Xion said.
"Then what?" Roxas asked. Xion looked down nervously and didn't answer.
"They die." Vanitas said for her, "And no one ever sees them again." Ventus sighed and braced him self for the onslaught of questions.
"Ventus, why did he say that?" Sora asked, "The cows don't die do they?"
"Uh, yeah they do." Ven said.
"What… can't they take his ribs away without killing him?" Sora asked, "Then everyone can be happy."
"No, that wouldn't be a good idea." Ventus glanced at Vanitas, who seemed to be very amused. "Wipe that smirk off your face it's not funny."
"Hey you can't talk to him like that! He makes muffins!" Roxas said, "Right Vanitas?"
"Yeah." Vanitas said with a nod. Aqua came back into the living room after a few minutes.
"Do you guys mind helping me with the backyard? I need someone to help with the grill and someone to set up chairs and tables." she said.
"Where's Terra?" Ventus asked as he stood up. Aqua shrugged.
"Come on, let's go." she left the room and the boys followed. Ventus followed her into the garage and groaned when he saw the amount of chairs he needed to move.
"How many people did you invite?" he asked.
"Just 43, our back yard is big enough, but Sephiroth is bringing his boys and a lot of other people are bringing their kids. Speaking of kids, maybe we should have something for them to do. Maybe a ball, but I don't want them kicking it to the wrong place. Maybe chalk… no there's no place back there for them to draw. Hmm, Ven you decide." Aqua said, "And Vanitas, you help me with the grill, it's really heavy."
"Can we help Aqua?" Roxas asked from the door, we can carry chairs."
"Of course you can." she smiled. Ventus started to pick up a few chairs; he knew that when Aqua said one number, you should expect at least 30 more coming. He groaned silently, things like this meant the entire town would be in their backyard for hours; they'd walk in and out of the house and let in bugs. They'd get their gross foot prints all over the carpet and even worse, there were always those few who got outrageously drunk. They were amusing to watch but they were dangerous when in that state and you couldn't have kids around that.
"Look Venny, we're carrying chairs like you." Roxas said, "Except Xion, she's just standing there." Ventus glanced back at the girl; she was standing nervously in the doorway, probably feeling out of place. Of course he would too if he'd just been dumped on some strangers doorstep. A chilling thought ran through his mind, he had been dumped on some stranger's doorstep. The reason was different, but it was still hard to deal with at his age, especially since he hadn't had anyone. Well, he had TJ, who he had to admit had been helpful at the time.
He dropped the chairs in the backyard and went back for more; he passed Roxas and Sora on the way. They were only halfway to the door. He walked in and saw Xion sitting on one of the chairs. "Hey, uh… what's wrong?" he asked.
Xion looked up, she had blue eyes. "I want to go home." she said.
"This is your home now isn't it?" he asked. She nodded.
"But I want to go home with my real mommy." she said.
"And why can't you?" Ven asked, although he was pretty sure she didn't have an answer.
"Because her new husband doesn't want me there." she mumbled. Ventus nodded in understanding; although he wasn't sure he got it completely.
"I'm sure you'll like it here." he said, "Plus you've got Vanitas right?"
"Yeah but, his mommy doesn't want me there." she said.
Ventus sighed, he'd probably just made it worse, "How about we forget all that today? You'll have fun here I promise." he said.
"Forget?" she repeated. Ventus stood up and grabbed a few more chairs, leaving the girl to think about it.
0.o.0.o.0
Sorry, I know I promised more Sora and Roxas, but I have to end it here. Next chapter I promise for real, will have them since Kairi will be there and we all know Kairi's going to be fun to write.
