Agh! I know I wanted to post this along with 8,9, and 10, but then I realized that'll take me forever. So... I decided to satisfy you with chapter 7 since this was finished already! :D

Ehh? Ehhhhh? ;)

GenieLUV: Yay! I'm back again! Dx Yeah, I feel boshy for holding this off. And grotesque/gruesome scenes galore when that time comes! Trust me, I have a pretty extravagant idea in mind on what to do(something that'll probably make you think, "Whoa, I see what she did there~" Haha, but yeah, even I'm starting to hate her (even though I have a little writing project revolving around her). Let's just hope Mr. Pouty McPoutPout gets the right girl. Sigh...

cherry2711: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it :)

luong10: I'M GLAD YOU DO! xD Like I said before, there will be grotesque scenes galore! Just wait and see. Hm... I would say this story's just reached it's halway checkpoint... Whoaaaaaa! No waaaaay! :O Lol and don't worry about my CHIT! D: As long as you understand, that's all that matters. And yes... A Tsundere!Kairi is a very cute Kairi x3

Guilm: I'm sorry that I probably caused you nightmares or insomnia... Well, this is rated M for a reason xD It's nice to have you aboard the TNOPS boat! I'll be your captain this evening. Just call me Cap'n Ari! :D

Peppermint-n-Spice: Yeah, I remember giggling evilly while typing up Selphie's part. I was all like, "THEY WILL COWER BEFORE MY VISUALIZATION! COWER, I SAY!" Um... Well, honestly, I didn't think any of you would react this way. I like the feedback. Everyone's honest feelings about this story make me happy (although I should be holding up my half of the commitment in the reader/writer relationship you and all of my readers got going on) ;~; I don't want to give away too much on Ventus. He's supposed to be are favorite little deranged blondie! ^3^

Madhatta51: You, sir/ma'am, are quite the sharp lad/lass! xD I just want to remind you that within the ENTIRETY of this story so far, only a few days have passed by (yeah, the time-frame of this story is quite botched up... ugh), so, they'll start to be suspicious at some point (I won't say when). And eventually, each teen will, somehow, be affected by Vanitas one way or another. No one's technically safe. And it's all good. I mean, I'm in no position to say otherwise... o.O

Smallwritergirl: It has and I'm so sorry ;~;

(Proceed to skip the commentary below unless you're too curious to ignore the lengthy anecdote) xD

Fate: Um... hey! I don't want to sound mean or disrespectful either, but I just wanted to let you know that your way of dealing with a story on temporary hiatus is slightly childish pointless. If I'm having a writer's block on Secret Tree House, then I'm having a writer's block. One does not simply escape writer's block (Cue the meme!). I've been struggling to think of ideas and ways to start it, and school isn't all that easy for me, y'know, so I barely scrape by with one story. I'll update it one day, okay? I do not need someone "spamming" my reviews until I do. Do you want me to give you a crap story? I'm just saying. Cuz it can be arranged. I can give you the most cliched, high school AU, with a SoKai pairing that'll be so cheesy it'll make you throw up. I can also throw in poor character development, plot holes, unnecessary events that lead to nowhere, extreme OOC-ness, a plethora of OCs, MarySues delight, elementary grammar, poor description, troublesome intermediate author notes, and incomprehensible dialogue. I am not going to rush for your sake and create a craptastical chapter in the process. I write at my own pace and when I'm mostly motivated/inspired. Secret Tree House is not going to be a story I update just because of some invisible obligation to the reader. If you can wait patiently like everyone else, then that would be greatly appreciated. And if this reply makes you feel demotivated in the slightest to read any of my stories, I have no problem with that; it won't bother me even at a molecular level. I'm sorry if I appear to be "raging" or "snapping on you" or telling you off." I'm not trying to be rude. This is a sincerely honest opinion of mine. I don't post my stories for people unless I feel the need to or if I really want to. I'm the one behind the keyboard here, so... yeah.

(Well! Now that that's been said, without further ado, I give you TNOPS7! :D)

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own KINGDOM HEARTS or ANY FRANCHISES MENTIONED WITHIN THIS STORY. I also DO NOT own the PLOT FOR NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. This story is purely for the entertainment of the readers and myself. Oh, and the cover image of this story DOES NOT belong to me. I've stumbled onto that image while browsing Deviant Art. It was done by Cicre. ALL credit should be directed to her for being such an awesome and creative artist! :D Sorry Cicre, but I'm a sneaky bastard ;D

WARNING: Some adjectives in this story may be a tad too hurtful or offensive to some or the faint of heart, so please don't get yourself worked up over my choice of vocabulary, thank you! :)
Mild sexual themes and Yaoi/Yuri inferences. Blood... There is blood... Lol :3

You have been sincerely warned...


.The Nightmare on Palm Street.

VII

Surreal Connections


"Sora."

He was back in the same room, in the same desk, with the same stoic calm he had ever since he'd last entered the realm of dreams. He was facing the green chalkboard, as per usual, his brother standing before it and observing the boy's expression with a shockingly earnest smile.

"You tend to learn a lot in a place like this," his hand trailed off of the board's surface along with his words. "Well, this is a classroom, after all. Where a child obtains new experiences, gathers more knowledge of the world. Their impressionable minds, soaking up like sponges."

He continued to drag his fingertips lightly against the board, his amber eyes following the faded chalk lines.

"This," Sora nodded his head in acknowledgment of the room. "This was our classroom from preschool, wasn't it?"

"What? Don't tell me you've forgotten already." His tone was one of artificial surprise. Vanitas sounded the least offended; more like borderline annoyed that his brother was being so dense. He didn't want to admit that he felt slightly sullen at the fact that the one who held him most dear was already losing memory of him. Well, time is what weathers one's mind. There's no point in evading it now.

"No, I haven't. Yet, they're only bits and pieces of memory now."

"Well, I remember crystal clear." There was a slight pause before he added, "You clung to me the whole day when we first came here. Compared to now, you were so different."

Sora was pretty shy and introverted when he was younger. He always stuck to Van's side like the loyal brother and friend he was, suspicious of everyone he met. Then, he started to remember how he never trusted Riku, Selphie, Ventus, or Roxas when he had been introduced to every single one of them in the early cycles of his childhood and kept his distance. He guessed his subconscious was on a whole other level than his mind could ever register, bearing in mind the emotionally devastating aftermath of lending his trust so freely afterward.

"Yes, if I knew what would've happened to you, I would leave them be."

"Then, how come, after all this time of knowing what they'd done, you still chose to stay?" Vanitas sounded neither upset nor furious. He sounded attentive, curious at what his brother's answer had to be. The raven's reaction solely depended on Sora's answer.

"As much as I hate the fact, I was too late."

Vanitas quirked a dark brow. "How so?"

"I've seen the way they behaved around you prior to your death. I should've known better than to deny the malicious intent in their eyes. The hate… When you were… dead, there was no mistaking it. It was their actions that made me realize how right you were. I c-couldn't… leave… because I-I…" His words were struggling to escape, vocal cords straining and shuddering in attempts to verbalize his thoughts.

His fears.

Could he really go through with this? Confide his concealed emotions before the boy who claimed to be his brother? Vanitas had to be a figment of his imagination. That's right, he has to be! Selphie was just being careless, and Ventus was jumped by a group of rowdy, homophobic teens. Yes, that most absolutely has to be true! He couldn't have lost it. He got a perfect score on his recent Calculus test. His gears are screwed on right and tight. Sora was a 100% A-OK, normal teenage-boy-bordering-adult with a cute girlfriend, the greatest best friend he could ever have, and two laid-back twins who kept him company in his lowest hours. He was graduating soon, starting at a university in Twilight Town by the next fall season and hoping to major in engineering, moving into an apartment with his previously mentioned cute girlfriend, having a part-time job, and roaming about ready to take on the world. He was finally going to pick up his own weight from then on out and experience the life of a full-fledged adult. He didn't need this. He didn't want this. But, knowing his own brother, beggars can't be choosers, and yet he still tried to find another excuse as well as the power to speak.

While Sora was mulling over conflicting thoughts on whether he should remain silent or finally speak this hidden truth, Vanitas waited patiently, an unlikely trait that opposed his hot-headed intolerant side. The meek brunette's eyes flickered tentatively to him, the embarrassment heating his cheeks from the fact that he was hopelessly tongue-tied and irrationally in denial.

"You were afraid."

"Wh-What? Are you implying that I—!?"

"Close your mouth and fucking listen," Vanitas barked. Sora's posture tensed at the edgy tenor of the raven, falling silent when he'd finally had the gall to speak up. "You felt that way didn't you? The sight of my eyes becoming indolent as gravity pushed me down. How I fell head first into the ditch without moving a muscle. The sound of my lifeless body thudding on the ground below within the silence. My blood; it seemed to cover every inch of your body. Was that what you feared, what you dreaded? Sharing the same fate, that you would follow the same end along with me into the ditch if you hadn't complied and kept your mouth shut? Your trauma led you to believe that, in some pitiful way, I wasn't dead. However, you appeared to have already known the truth."

"The truth?" Sora parroted, slightly steaming. "What would you know about any of this? You were the one who fucking died!"

"When you're chosen to become a hell-raiser, you learn a lot of things. You're able to creep into the past of others and use their weaknesses for their own demise. Whether it's their fears and sins or just a simple play on words, you can't help experimenting, seeing what makes them tick, faster and faster, until they explode in a fit of fury or tears. Or both, whichever you prefer. You can say that I'm quite the omniscient person."

"Bullshit. If anything, you weren't as observant of me when you were still alive. What makes now a difference—"

"'He bumped his head, that's all. He'll get back up in no time,'"Sora froze at the familiar and distant words that hung in the air of the room. "'He still needs to help me with my homework. Why isn't he getting up?'"

He knew exactly where this was heading.

"Shut… up," he commanded weakly, but it wasn't even acknowledged since Vanitas continued.

"'Vani, Vani get up. Stop with the cruel jokes, you're scaring me. Van, I swear, if you don't get up in five seconds, I'll tell mom! Van… itas.'" Hands resting on his lap clutched at the coarse fabric of his jeans, his teeth clenching as hot tears stung his burning eyes. He felt like Vanitas had just squirted lemon juice in his face like he did when they made their lemonade stand instead of accurately reciting thoughts that had only belonged to him. Well, not anymore.

"Shut up." The repetition was now harsh and demanding, yet still ignored.

"'Blood… his blood. It's everywhere. All over. Something tastes funny. My hands are red. Why isn't he moving yet? I already told him I was telling. Why aren't Riku and Roxas doing anything?'"

"Shut. Up."

Vanitas ignored him, continuing Sora's thoughts, his voice mimicking the boy's at an unsettling level. He even said each sentence the way he'd thought, leaving the brunette in trembles.

"'They're not helping, they're watching. Watching with smiles. There's nothing funny about this at all… Where's Xion? Where's mom? He isn't moving. He's not breathing. His eyes are closed. What do I do? No one's helping me. Vanitas, I'm sorry! Please come back! Pl—'"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP," he screamed at him as he abruptly stood, kicking down the chair he sat on, charging toward his brother. "You've got everything right down to the fucking point! Aren't you satisfied with what you know? Leave your petty mind games to the people you're after!"

He didn't expect his brother to grab him by the collar, glaring viciously into his eyes, invoking fear and confusion as the amber mixed into sky blue. What Sora did expect, though, was the placement of Van's hands. They grasped his shirt, not his neck, as if he knew he didn't need to crush the boy's windpipe to silence him.

"I'm getting my point across whether it's overkill or not, and you should care less of the games I play, little brother. I could kill you. Right here, right now, but… Sometimes, I wished badly that you weren't so good to me. It would make killing you all the easier and, probably, even enjoyable, but… I can't. I can't even lay a fucking finger on your skin," his hold tightened on his shirt to prove his point. "You're the only brother I have. You keep me here. I lived on in your memory while the other's had gradually forgotten. Even she had forgotten me at one point…"

"She? Who's she?" The brunette asked timidly. If it weren't for the dull gray light seeping through the blinds of the windows, he wouldn't have seen the other's face flush pink. And it was quite shocking.

"N-None of your business," he replied all too quickly, dropping Sora the instant his words tumbled out, leaving said boy stupefied in what he was actually witnessing. "You're too oblivious to the horrors of this world to understand."

"She's horrible?"

"No, that's not what I—" He sucked in air through his teeth as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "God, you may be academically in tuned, but you're unbelievably lacking common sense. If only you focused on the little things. Then, you'd see the greater picture."

"What do you mean?" He shot back indignantly; scowling at his brother's die-hard teasing.

"Your wonderful girlfriend isn't all she's cracked up to be, Sora. Neither is your jock-head of a best friend. It's about time you figured that out." The intent in the raven's voice slowly sank in, causing Sora to tremble with confusion and anger. A sickening lunge in his stomach made him stumble back onto the desk, sitting on it for support.

"N-No… Please, no… Don't drag them into this. I know you feel justified in killing them, but they're virtually the only ones who I have left. Don't you do this to me," he demanded.

"You'll have to learn sooner or later. Once someone turns their back on you for the first time, they'll do it over and over. It'll only devastate you later on. I can't let that happen because you'll probably do something stupid. Go, I have nothing more to say to you."

"Hold on! Please, tell me you're not going to go through with this! Think of me before you set yourself on doing so… Please." The thought of losing them wrenched at his heart. He couldn't stand this anymore. Selphie's death was one too many. Xion and Riku were close to him. They were the only ones who made him happy now. Knowing that they would soon be gone struck something in him. He realized he couldn't be left alone. He'd turn on himself if that were to ever happen.

"But little brother," Vanitas chuckled. "That's exactly what I'm doing."

Was that Vanitas's plan? He said he wouldn't lay a finger on his brother, but he didn't mention causing the boy to harm himself… How criminal can a guy be? Contributing to the self-mortification of his own flesh and blood brother, who stuck to him like white on rice since the very beginning, even with the terrible things Van used to do to him in their childhood? This was all too overwhelming!

"Wait! What about Selphie? What happened to her?"

"What about her? She's no longer with me, if that's what concerns you."

Suddenly, the walls of the classroom faded into darkness and the desks dematerialized right before his eyes. The last thing he had seen was Vanitas's lingering eyes before he yelped from abruptly being thrown back by an invisible force, tumbling and flipping several times before he was left on his back. When the nauseous feeling of his surroundings spinning subsided, he found himself suspended in complete darkness. He wasn't sure if he was lying down or floating in midair, yet he continued to stare at the pitch black above.

Was this where people's subconscious had fled to whenever they allowed sleep to overcome them? This wasn't the infinite possibility of the realm of dreams. Nor was it the brink of awakening. He found himself in between.

Dreamless sleep. He had experienced it many times. It was usually just like this: Nothing but black. However, he could still see himself like it was any other dream. He exhaled slowly, forcing his heart to calm down. The sensation of floating was actually quite pleasant, so he closed his eyes and felt his body drift like he would in a swimming pool. The whispering that began to whip around him was stifled, as if he had cotton in his ears.

"You must learn…" The final whisper of Vanitas's lingering words was a caress, wrapping around him like a blanket. Finally, he was able to worry about nothing for once and sleep.


Her eyelids felt heavy on her cheeks, refusing to open when she felt herself waking up. She dreamed of nothing since she only dozed off for probably a good half-hour; it was still light outside. Kairi was only able to force one eye open at a time. She remembered where she had fell asleep, curiously observing the face of the still sleeping boy in front of her.

'Well, you only have one chance to do so without getting caught, right?' She thought reasonably.

So she let her eyes wander and trace the curve of his jaw and his neck, passing a certain area she tried her best to avoid, up to his closed eyes. His bangs were tousled and in the way of his eyes and the rest of his hair was just a disarray of chocolate spikes. Then, her eyes were finally brought down by the magnetic pull of his lips. They were soft and slightly parted, enticingly inviting, letting silent pants fan her face and neck. Although his breath was warm against her skin, it sent chills crawling underneath. The blush began creeping on her face as she gulped.

Kairi didn't know if she could harbor the immense shame that came with feeling like this. She didn't even know when her body would allow her to get up.

His nose twitched as he grunted, arms moving on their own accord, causing the girl to squeak. His left resting on the curve of her waist while the right lay resting against her left shoulder.

His face was so close now…

If she felt like she couldn't move before, she definitely froze when she heard the jingle of keys at the front door, which wasn't that far away. Oh goodness…

"Kai, Sora, I'm home! You better not be having fun without me!" Oh goodness. If she sees them like this, she'll probably come to the conclusion that they were definitely fine having fun without her!

With perfect timing, Sora cracked an eye open from the sudden disturbance in the silence, staring at the girl lying in front of him. She was pink in the face and wide-eyed, and he noticed where his hands were placed, but he kept staring into her eyes without expression, not an ounce surprised of the close proximity of their faces. He saw what were in those violet eyes: panic, fear, and shame. But what really threw him off his high horse was the smallest amount of what he thought would never be there.

Anticipation.

If she thought he was going to say or do something to her, then she was dead wrong. There were no words exchanged, but there wasn't a need for words. The silence said it all. Her hands trembled as she reached for both of his wrists, his left hand feeling the soft skin that was exposed from her wrinkled jacket, having him shuddering as well. He was hoping she wasn't going to do what he thought she was going to do because he wouldn't know what to do with himself if that ever happened. Instead, she shoved both his hands against his chest, stood up, and dashed up the stairs as quietly as she could.

"Kairi? Sora?" he flinched from the unexpected voice, heart beating faster than it had before.

"R-Right over here," the flustered brunette called out. He saw Xion come from around the corner of the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room, her smile causing his anxiety to incline. He returned the smile, exhaling, "Hey."

Kairi must've known she was here. If she hadn't woken up in time, there could've been quite a problem on their hands.

Xion smirked as she made her way around the couch. "Oh, breathless at the sight me already, huh?"

"You could say that," he chuckled nervously at the irony of his situation, his hand habitually inching to the back of his head.

"I've brought some food if you want any—"

"I'm not hungry."

The words just slipped. The brunette realized what he actually just did. He suddenly felt guilty for eating Kairi's food now—Wait, why is he acting like this? It's not like he slept with her damn sister or anything! Why should he be nervous? Why is he nervous? Why was this damn redhead messing with his mind, anyway? He has Xion, and she's the best he's had in a while. He should be thinking about her. Kissing her.

He quickly approached the raven, pulling her against him and following his thought's orders. She gasped as his tongue traced her lower lip for entry, but she wouldn't let him in.

"S-Sora, no," Xion reprimanded him, as if he were a disobedient pup. She shoved the needy boy away, making him slightly agitated.

'What's with Lockhart girls and shoving?'

"What do you mean no? I'm your boyfriend, aren't I?" He was sincerely confused, but his voice spoke otherwise. Xion would never refuse any of his touches or gestures of affection. She's been rather reserved and distant for a while now, even before the incident with Selphie. He didn't understand. Has she really gotten tired of him? Were these two years only an extended "Honeymoon Phase?"

"I'm… I'm just not in the mood, okay? I'm really tired…"

"Xion—" He closed in on her again, reaching out for her, but the sound of his hands being slapped away had taken him aback.

"I. Said. I'm. Tired."

He felt like facepalming the hell out of his forehead until the repeated actions would cave his skull in. First, it was that whole confusing shit with Kairi. Why was she lying on the couch with him? She couldn't have done anything to him during his sleep since he wasn't—okay, that was a stupid thought, but still. She seemed bothered and she abruptly left to the safety of the second floor, doing God knows what. Now, it was Xion. Tired? She's never tired when it comes to sex! Never! She had a libido that could rival Riku's any day of the year! If she's as open about their relationship in private as she is in public, then things were about to take a turn for the worse.

And it was all because he told her he wasn't fucking hungry.

Nah, he was kidding himself. If that was the very reason behind why what had occurred in less than three minutes happened, then this would officially be the most awkward, die-hard fail of a relationship known to man. However, he still knew he was sleeping on her couch tonight.

"Xion, you're here already?" Kairi called from the top of the stairs, descending in a dusky, oversized long sleeve shirt and a pair of black shorts that'd make any man tumble over. They were barely seen with the shirt covering her like the shortest cocktail dress ever known to the eyes of man. "I left this bozo to sleep so I could take a shower, and you're already all over him?"

What sincerely shocked Sora, however, was the pink fluffy towel she was rubbing on her tangled damp locks that were now a deep cranberry color.

He was sure that they both didn't hear a shower turn on. How was that even possible? She ascended the stairs at least five minutes ago, two of which were before Xion had entered the living room. He couldn't admit it, but Kairi was really quick on her toes. If she could execute bullshit stunts like this so flawlessly, who knows what else she's gotten away with these past years!

Although Kairi's alibi was iron-clad foolproof genius, Xion still had a disapproving frown.

"What?" She ground out the question. "You let Sora fall asleep?"

"It was the only good I can do for him. I mean, it's not like it's my fault. He's the one who should take care of himself."

"I gave you specific orders to—"

"Whoa, whoa, hold up. Orders? Orders? What am I to you, your fucking slave?"

"Seems like it."

"Get real."

"I'll get real when you stop butting into other's business."

"Really?" Kairi chuckled sardonically. "I've had enough of this."

"Are you implying that you're breaking our deal?"

"What deal? We never had a deal! I'm real tired of this and your shit. I'm tired of keeping secrets that lay heavy burdens. Tired of helping you lead him on like this! It's ridiculous!"

"Wait, what are you guys talking about?"

"Stay out of this," Xion snapped before directing her attitude to Kairi. "So what are you going to do, Kairi? Are you going to tell him everything? You know what'll happen if you do."

Sora felt the heavy tension between the two. He could see Kairi's eyes widen with shock and then narrow in resentment while Xion's jaw was rigid as her eyes were hateful, freezing the boy who was between them yet not completely in their way.

"What's the worse you can do to me? Throw me down a flight of stairs?"

"Oh-ho ho, don't go around underestimating me, Kairi. You'll be shocked of what I'm capable of." Her tone was threatening, wicked. Sora had never seen this nasty side of Xion since… Before the…

Oh no…

"No, I know exactly what you're capable of, Xion. You have such a penchant to disappear and lurk about, and run circles around Sora like he's your little plaything. Where do you go most of the time, Xion? Definitely not to fucking cheerleading practice, that's for damn sure…"

He turned to see Kairi backing away, as if realizing what she had just said. It was only a short bout of bravery she portrayed, but it was long gone by now.

"What?"

His girlfriend turned murderous and rampant with the accusation, ready to pounce on her younger sister. Like this, he was able to see just how much Xion towered over Kairi. Only by a couple inches, but that was still an intimidating factor against the younger girl. Sora finally found control over his legs, moving in front of Kairi, causing Xion to bump into him. He placed firm hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look up to him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He glared at the still steaming girl before him.

She tore his hands away. "She just needs a little sense fucking smacked into her. It's none of your business!"

"It is all of my business," he found himself barking back. She shrunk away somewhat at the force of his voice. He never yelled at her like he did just now. Ever. "You're her sister. Start acting like one!"

Still, she was as resilient as ever, bouncing back at him with disdain. "Did Vanitas ever act like a brother to you—?"

"Don't you dare bring him into this."

"Oh? What's the matter? Don't want wittle Kairi hearing about big bwother Vani?" She badgered, her eyes betraying her seemingly cutesy behavior with the fury that pierced him. She knew all too fucking well, but Sora wouldn't let her get the best of him yet.

'Screw the fucking couch; I prefer my own bed, anyway.'

"You're certainly acting more like a child than your usual self at the moment, not that I can do anything about it. This discussion is over. Kairi," She snapped her attention on the boy with the stormy sea in his eyes, barely catching the following words. "You're not staying here. You're coming with me."

Before Kairi could say anything, Xion intervened. "You can't just take my sister wherever and whenever you please. You have no damn right to!"

He knew Xion wouldn't welcome him here now. He also knew that she wouldn't let Kairi leave, and if he left her alone with his girlfriend(?), she would do something completely irrational.

"As of now, I fucking do. Come on, Kairi." He led the girl to the front door from behind, blocking any access to her from Xion. He swiftly opened the door and gently prodded the girl to move forward into the blazing heat. If the situation wasn't so serious, Sora would've found it comical that the girl still had the towel in her hands, clutching onto it for dear life.

"WAIT!" Just for the amusement, Sora stopped and turned them both around, Kairi secured in his arms, to look at the fuming girl on the front step of her house. "It should be Kairi's will to leave or not. Kairi, you better make the right choice. Are you leaving or are you staying here, with me?"

Kairi glowered at her sister for what seemed like forever. Then, she looked up to Sora with questionable eyes. He smiled with encouragement, hoping she wouldn't leave his side.

"I'm," she stuttered audibly, trying to look for the right words to strengthen her resolve. "I'm… I'm not a possession of yours, Xion. Not anymore…"

She turned around swiftly, eyes shut tight, Sora following close behind.

"Bastard! You better bring her back to me this instant, or else!" She shrieked at him.

"Not until you cool off," he hollered back, not even wasting his time turning back to her. He crossed the street to his house, which was diagonal from the shrieking girl's. Opening the door, he let Kairi walk in on her own, instructing her to go into the room upstairs at the very end of the hall. She nodded and complied, closing the door herself and locking it. With this said and done, he turned back only to see the front door slam itself closed behind Xion.


"You're such a fool," Xion spat into the transmitter of her phone. Why he decided to have this argument over the phone, she had no idea. They were supposed to be angry at each other (well, they were, but you can agree that relationships are pretty complicated sometimes).

"If being concerned about the well-being of another life is a fool's job, then sign me up," his retort crackled from the receiver. "You seem to be overreacting to the max, considering you went berserk just from a few words uttered, and nothing else. But I can't agree with Kairi any more than I do now," he continued. "You always fall short. You're barely around anymore. Where do you go most of the time? And so frequently, too—"

"Nowhere. If I say I'm going where I say I'm going, then I'll be there. There's nothing any simpler than that."

Xion was completely annoyed with him. She couldn't handle Sora at the moment. He was too troublesome. Since when did he start hounding on her like this? God, she wished he could just go away. She felt like tearing her hair out. She hadn't slept in forever, and after that little nap with Riku this afternoon, she realized there was no sign of him anywhere in her dreams. It was a shock that he finally left them alone. Now she would be able to sleep soundly… unless Sora decides to keep yapping her ears off. All she wanted was to have another go at Riku and then sleep. Oh, how tempting the two were.

"You know what? Do as you please," she barked. The best way to get rid of him for now was to resign. "I could care less of the fucking brat anyway. She's no sister of mine!" She ended the call, her phone slipping through her hands as she raked her scalp to calm down.

How dare she? How fucking dare she? Nearly spilling her damn guts to Sora like that? Xion thought she had her foolish sister subdued under the circumstance of blackmail and death threats. Apparently, she kept her leash too loose. Kairi almost gave her away. Kairi almost uncovered her recent affairs with Riku and presented them to Sora's deaf ears.

A random object in her reach became a poor victim of her anger since she hurled it across the room, the fragile thing shattering when it made impact with the wall.

Picking up her phone from the floor, she texted the silverette to come over. When she immediately received a reply, she started to cool down in anticipation of the boy she was indulging herself with to arrive, although she was still sore from their recent tango.


Sora had parked his car back on his driveway. Wouldn't want Xion bashing the hell out of his pride and joy, now would he?

He was sitting on the hood now, which was facing the street, giving him a good view of the houses lined up along with Xion's house. There were only a few houses he wasn't familiar with, like the periwinkle themed house with the white picket fence at the very end, near the beach. Or the pueblo-esque home on his side across from the periwinkle house.

Then, his eyes faced the house in front of his, Selphie's. The Victorian styled home seemed to loom over him. He remembered that he wasn't there to physically witness the atrocity of her torture firsthand, but he knew who did.

Something caught his eye: A flash of white and black clothes and a cellphone in their hand. Who he saw walking on the pavement to the house to the left of Selphie's was the last person he thought he'd ever see today.

Just his luck!

"Riku! Hey, Riku!" The silverette's name was hollered from across the street. Nevertheless, he was still ecstatic to see him again. When Sora saw the boy turn around to see him sitting on his jeep, he smiled a cheesy grin and waved happily, hoping the boy would talk to him.

To Sora's disappointment, Riku hastily unlocked the door and disappeared into his house.

'What's his deal?' The spiky-haired boy sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day as he watched Riku's retreating form close the door behind him. Suddenly, he didn't feel like staying outside any longer, remembering that Kairi had been in his house for a while, dutifully awaiting him to return any second now.

He entered his house, calling her. She stood silently at the top of the stairs, cautious of her new surroundings; she had never been inside his house before. She seemed slightly rattled. What could have she seen or heard that would make Xion suppress her like that?

"How are you?" He treaded carefully, choosing the words he thought were best as he climbed up the stairs to meet her.

"I feel okay. I'm just a bit shaken up," she chuckled nervously while she embraced herself. It looked as if she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

"She can't hurt you here. You're going to be fine, so no need to worry!" He smiled the grin. No one could resist his grin of cheesiness. Not even his stoic father.

He felt accomplished when she eventually returned his smile with one of her own. A rather small victory, but he valued it. He led her down the hall and into his room. They sat beside each other on his bed, acknowledging a silence that could possibly be encountered, until Kairi spoke up.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You already did." She slapped him playfully, rolling her eyes.

"Shut up, I'm being serious," she giggled, but fell to the silence once more, conflicted in asking him about a topic that could be delicate. "Your brother… What was he like?"

He knew he couldn't avoid this. She was bound to ask sometime.

"Vanitas? Well, he was my twin for starters, older by ten minutes. He's like a mirror-image, but with black hair and golden eyes."

"Wow, that's pretty striking. It's not every day you'd see a boy with that combination."

"Yeah, I could say the same for violet-eyed redheads," he teased. "Now can you let me continue? Sheesh. Alright, so like his eyes, he was very… different from others. Everyone else thought he was too immoral for his age. You usually refer a child to innocence and whatnot, but with Vanitas, that wasn't the issue. He liked to bully the younger kids. He liked to push me around, too. He liked to destroy things, and watch the world burn. You know the whole brat-with-an-attitude thing? He took it to a whole new level. He didn't have an attitude. It was just the way he was."

"How could you deal with a brother like that?" Kairi asked, astounded by this "Vanitas" character.

"I didn't say he was troublesome to me. I actually kinda looked up to him. He was tough, and all the little kids feared him. Sometimes, he wouldn't be so harsh. He retained a few qualities of a stereotypical bully. I would ask him why he was so nice to some of the kids than he'd usually be, and he would always tell me that it was because they reminded him of me. He had a soft side for me and only me, and I admit I really liked that. Not even my parents were on the same connection with Vanitas as I was with him. We were really close, a fraternal bond at its finest. In a sense, we were like the sun and the moon, working alongside to keep our own world going although we were poles apart. Mere opposites, as cliché as it seems. Sure, he would have a bad day every once in a while and take it out on me, but I never minded it because I knew he didn't really hate me like the rest. He was my fortress. He beat up the kids who picked on me and was always close by, lingering in case I did something stupid. Vanitas would right my wrongs and pick me up when I fell down. He was the ideal big brother in my eyes. No one ever changed that image I held for him. My brother would always scare them off if they ever even tried."

Kairi giggled at the image of a child running off in tears from a smirking, five-year-old, Sora-lookalike. Sora chuckled along with her.

"Yeah, he may have not been the greatest role model, but he was without a doubt the best big brother I ever had."

"So what happened to him?" His eyes grew heavy and his smile disappeared, a sight quite rare.

"He… died," he paused to swallow the lump in his throat. It just wouldn't go down. "When we were eight."

Her maternal instincts took over, a hand already on his shoulder in a consoling manner. She couldn't say a word about it because she never had that experience of losing a loved one, so she had no sympathy to give. However, the brunette was fine with this. He appreciated that she knew she had no say in this. That she was there to listen to him pour out his feelings. These kinds of things were never experienced before with Xion, and, for some reason, he was glad they weren't.

"This was after Xion and I moved here, wasn't it?" Her question was careful, soothing on his ears. He suddenly felt more relaxed when he heard the reassuring soprano of her voice. He nodded with ease. "How did he die?"

"He was killed."

And it was left at that. The discussion was officially dropped.

"Uhm… We should lighten up the atmosphere, don't you think? Look, you have the curtains drawn. That'll do us no good," she exclaimed, climbing over the bed and opening the curtains. The late afternoon light gave the room a warm glow, the morbid shadows dispersing and drowning in the shine. "There, that's better!"

He only stared at her sudden resilient behavior, not surprised at why she would change face so quickly.

"So, do you have anything to do around here? Like videogames? Or-"

"Gaming's good."

It's about time he took his mind off all of this…


Kairi never played any of the Final Fantasy games before, which dumbfounded Sora, so they started a new game on the slot. Gradually, his faith in the clumsy girl returned throughout her little gaming session. She was a quick learner, handling the controller with ease and mashing buttons here and there whenever she was in a tight spot. And he would lean back against the bed and watch with a smile, giving her fighting tips and explaining the whole synthesis and Paradigm Shifts. They were currently fighting a boss, teamed up with Hope and Lightning.

"Quick quick quick! Use Slash and Burn! Slash and Burn!" He ordered, pointing at the screen repeatedly as if it would help her any.

"I know, I'm trying, so chill your damn nips! She barked back, fervently smashing arrow buttons until she pressed the x button, finally setting the two-man team on the offensive. The Aster Protoflorian didn't have much health left; they were so close to winning.

"Now switch to War and Peace!"

"I got you, dude!" She yelled (although it was clearly unnecessary), unable to help the adrenaline pumping in her system, her hands clammy from holding onto the controller too tightly for too long. She was getting excited.

"SLASH AND BURN!" They sang harmoniously. Back on the offensive. She was now able to summon Lightning's Eidolon, Odin, to finish the boss off since she didn't want to waste his Technical Points in the beginning, and they somehow gained a telepathic connection for she knew exactly what he was thinking. "Come on, Odin! Beat this terrible excuse for an oversized tick!"

And the Eidolon managed to nearly do just that, but his Summoning Points had depleted for what seemed too quickly and he returned to wherever he came from, Lightening appearing once again with her low health.

"It looks more like a mutilated Bulbasaur, if anything," Sora pondered aloud.

"Shut it, I'm trying to concentrate, oh unworthy distraction of mine!" She giggled, thinking more to herself than telling him. "Sheesh, I feel like I'm Link and you're that stupid Fairy."

This caused the brunette to blush and stutter out, "Hey, I'm not that annoying!"

"Whatever floats your goat, honey." For some reason, the brunette only blushed harder.

The disgusting creature managed to execute a fatal blow to Lightning, and this threw them both from playful banter to tension-rising panic.

"Come on, switch and use Hope to heal her! NOW!"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO?" Her fingers trembled in mashing the correct buttons to heal her fallen comrade. "No, wait, I should heal Hope first! He's on red!"

"No, trust me when I tell you to heal Lightening. Hope's just weak!"

"But he's vital to the team!"

"That's why there's always a Phoenix Down for that! Just do as I say!"

"What if I don't wanna?" She pouted stubbornly, crossing her arms and looking away childishly from Sora (AND THE SCREEN!) as if she wasn't fighting a boss that would determine her continuing the storyline or not at the very moment.

"What do you mean by that? Woman, just trust me on this one!" He spazzed, flailing his arms about.

"FINE!" She cried out, submitting to his command and following through with healing the pink-haired character. The creature body-slammed the blonde, his health bar emptied in only a second, sending him to the floor in a faint. Lightening, however, still kept her health at a stable orange.

"Attack! Use Super Soldier this time!" Sora dictated excitedly. And in those short, suspenseful seconds, the beast had followed Hope's fate, fading into nothing as the duo cheered and embraced in a celebratory victory hug.

"OH YEAH!" She exclaimed in his ear, voice hoarse from all the yelling.

"WE DID IT," he yelled back, laughing and looking down at her. She really was short.

They stared at each other for what seemed like the longest eternity. And then, Sora remembered the couch incident. How Kairi had stared at him, how her skin felt under his palm and his fingertips, it set him ablaze and a tingling knot twisted in the lowest part of his stomach. He felt like touching her. She was just so warm… so inviting.

He smirked at the gaping girl, aching to touch her parted lips.

Sadly, she snapped back into reality, escaping from his arms with the blush exploding on her face. The game was forgotten, the cutscene completely ignored. Did the blonde kid say something about Nora?

His eyes flitted to the window, seeing darkness and a faint street light. They must've played Final Fantasy XIII longer than they'd thought. The only source of light came from his ceiling fan and the TV.

"You, uh, hungry?" She nodded meekly and followed him downstairs, and with quick glance back, he noticed she played with her sleeves as usual. In the kitchen, the brunette was surprised to see his mother already cooking up something nice from the smell of it.

"Hey honey," she greeted sweetly from her place at the stove, eyes veering off his face and widening at the sight of Kairi. "Oh, Xion, you dyed your hair? It looks pretty!"

"It's natural," she mumbled under her breath shyly, toying with her sleeves further yet bashfully from such a statement.

"Uh mom, this isn't Xion. It's her sister, Kairi."

"Oh!" The woman nearly dropped her cooking utensil from the embarrassment. "I'm so sorry Kiri—"

"Kairi."

"Kairi," she pronounced correctly when she got a good grip on the wooden spoon. Then, the middle-aged woman deflated in relief, smirking to herself. "Ugh, wonderful. Now I don't have to suck it up for little Ms. Princess Bitch." Although she knew she should've been offended by her sister being slandered so openly, especially by Sora's own mother, she couldn't help giggle at her slur, as distinctive and loose as it sounded.

"Mother, we have company," Sora chided with a chuckle, sitting at the table and patting the seat beside him, trying to make it look as appealing as he could.

Kairi stared at the empty chair in thought. This must be the chair Vanitas sat in so many years ago, where he probably kicked Sora from under the table and poke him with his fork and stole his cookies or desserts and stuff like that. Well, that's what Xion did to her when they were younger, so it could be a possibility. This seat was also taken by Xion, replacing the void that was left sitting by Sora after years of lonesomeness. She could feel it. The seat radiated evil occupation. But she wasn't evil, she wasn't mean. She wanted Sora to feel happy and comfortable with himself.

"Um sweetie, I don't think the chair is going to bend to your whim with the look you're giving it," Sora's mother snickered over the sizzling pan, making the girl turn into a strawberry as quickly as she planted herself on the wooden chair.

"Going after the twin sister eh? Wow, Sora, my boy, you really know how to pick 'em."

The girl in question jumped at the new voice across from her as Sora groaned. How did she not notice the man sitting across from her?

"Cloud," he whined, blushing up a storm.

"Hey, I'm just saying. She's a total babe. When I was your age, I totally jumped on girls like her. That's how I met your mother. Right honey?"

"He sure did!"

"Mom!"

"What's your name?"

"Kairi," she stuttered out.

"Hn… It's nice to be acquainted with you, Miss Kairi." He then set a serious gaze on his son, albeit smirking mischievously like his wife. "Now, young man, this beautiful girl doesn't look like the kind of girl to be down for all the things you're into. Remember, twins may look alike, but, as individuals, they have their own preferences and limits. You don't want to break her. Also, as always, protection is the best way to go, even if she's on the pill."

"Even if she's on the pill," his mother parroted, shaking her head knowingly.

Sora, proceed with a face plant to the table…. Now!

The redhead found it rude to hit her forehead against a hosts' dinner table, so she had no sweet escape like the boy did. Man, did she feel so embarrassed! And downright uncomfortable, too! Her blush was probably reaching down to the tips of her toes at the implication, and she probably looked like a red thing. Possibly like a character from a Dr. Seuss book: Red from the crown of her head to every patch of skin that showed. Oh my…

"I think I'm ready to die," Sora admitted from the safety of his crossed arms. Although he was unable to see it, Kairi still eagerly shook her head in mortified agreement.

"Now, now, you can think of dying after dinner," his mother admonished, handing out steaming plates. "Sora, get up! You're being rude to Kairi. After all, a man is supposed to take the fall for his lady!"

"Too late for that," he muffled into his sleeves before finally sitting up. His face and the tips of his ears were forever pink. "You guys practically pushed her off the cliff, yourselves."

As they ate delicious home-cooked food, Kairi noticed how teasing and flirty Sora's parents were. They always had something funny to throw across the table, from dirty jokes to Sora's love life. It shocked her how cheerful they were by themselves. Wasn't Sora a constant reminder of what they've lost? Wouldn't they take death seriously? This absolutely muddled her.

If she never knew a thing about Vanitas, Kairi would've believed his family was perfect.

But she knew it was perfectly imperfect.


Sora was lying down on his bed, waiting for Kairi to finish up in the bathroom, mulling over his previous thoughts. About Vanitas and his slightly cryptic words.

For a moment, he almost felt that he didn't care about what would happen to Xion, taking Vanitas's hard words into consideration. He was chuckling morbidly now, sneering at the white of his ceiling, as if he was daring Vanitas to do it. To teach him a lesson, ironically remembering how he begged his brother not to.

'I have to learn, huh?'

However, he remembered Riku, and started to feel a short panic for him. He would witness their killings inevitably, and even though he wasn't on great terms with his, uh… girlfriend, he still worried for them both. Their torture might be far brutal than Selphie's. They were the ones who actually…

"Sora?" His eyes shot to the door to find Kairi standing timidly in the entrance, fumbling with her sleeves and the hem of her oversized shirt and alternately leaning on one leg to the other as she looked at him. He hummed his attention. "I w-wanted to bid you a goodnight."

He raised a curiously amused eyebrow. "And… Where do you think you'll be sleeping?"

Bingo.

The look on her face was certainly priceless.

She started to stutter and turn red from whatever previous plan she had, pulling on her sleeves abashed, causing him to laugh and pat the comfy mattress of his bed.

"Come on, I won't bite ya." Somehow, the statement made her more flustered than before while she cautiously approached his bed.

She couldn't think properly. Of course, she knew Sora wouldn't try to pull a fast one on her. However, with the parental advice he was given downstairs not so long ago, she started to have second thoughts. She's seen the obvious interest plastered on his face, and the intent to touch her was totally screaming from his body language (peer counseling has never failed her, nor has she failed it).

Yet… She was anticipating this. She was waiting to see if he would actually do it. She was ashamed to feel excited.

As soon as she sat down, he pulled her by the waist, eliciting a surprised squeal, and tossed her to the other side of his bed. She gulped when her body was atop of his for that brief second. He left her in a flame.

"Sheesh, Ms. Lockhart, you take forever," he drawled, smiling mischievously at her reddened cheeks. "You blush a lot, too."

"I do not!" It was just silence after that. He didn't say a word. Was it her? Did she yell too loud? Did she take the joke too earnestly? He wasn't glaring at her, so what was he—?

Then, the bed began to creak quietly as he inched himself closer to her. Kairi began to shy away, moving as much and as far away as she could, until her back met with an obstacle. Unfortunately, the bed was propped against the wall and it now held her hostage. He had her.

He pressed her as far against the wall as it would allow, trapping her with an arm overhead, eyes peering slightly above her as he tilted his head closer.

"I know what I see, Ms. Lockhart. Don't make a fool of yourself," his breath tickled her cheeks silly as it fanned over her heated face, his voice reduced to an intense murmur.

Violet eyes retreated from the warm and homey colors of his room. They were shut tight, an only means of escape. Her teeth worried her bottom lip, hoping for the worst of the best. Through the loss of one of her senses, she felt her chin turn up slightly by a hand as well as the anxiety building up in her. She tried to tell him she was not one to be made fun of. However, she did not take his words into consideration and started to stammer like a fool, anyway. The silence weighed heavy on her patience, and she started to fear for the impending embarrassment or awkwardness (whichever came first) of the situation to blow her up into nonexistence, but all she heard and experienced was a disappointed sigh and his warmth leaving her personal bubble. When she opened her eyes, he was practically on the edge of the bed, not even close to touching her, with his hands behind his head. It was his turn to close his eyes (although he wasn't so fond of fading into slumber like this), and she couldn't help studying his mature yet boyish physique along with his once again uneasy face.

It was as if he knew the possibilities of where all of this might lead.

She held in a small cough and turned on her side to face the wall. Kairi had to admit, she was pretty uncomfortable with the idea of sharing a bed with Sora Strife, let alone actually being in it and sleeping with him for the night. She feared he was frustrated, and not just because his girlfriend was being irrational.

After lying that way for a few minutes, Kairi became uncomfortable with her position, turning on her back to stare at the ceiling instead. Then, she peered over to her right to see Sora the same way yet more relaxed. His face still appeared discomforted like it once was this afternoon, as if it pained him to keep his eyes closed.

Was he an insomniac or something? Really, what made him this way whenever he was alone?

She'll sate her curiosity some other time. Right now, she was more worried for what might come. What could tomorrow bring?

It was those kind of questions that made her tremble with unprepared fear.


Alrighty! Such a crappy ending to this chapter! You have NO IDEA how much of a pain in the ass this was. -3-

Again, I am so so so soooooo sorry for making you guys wait. I've just been preoccupied with school and the like. My semester's exams were at least a month or so ago (I'm not sure, I rarely keep track of time xD), and my teachers are a bunch of slavedrivers! Ugh, like totally legit. They've been working my fingers to the bone and melting my brain with knowledge. Dx I know, this chapter probably lost its edge. I've been adding/ removing scenes like crazy and saving tidbits of what used to be in this chapter for later (more specifically the later chapters).

You guys at least deserve something so the next chapter is probably going focus more on either Namine or Ventus.

...

Hmm... You know what? How about I let you decide! :D Feel free to give me your two cents!

Who do you want~? Namine? Or Ventus? :3

Well, that's all I have for now! See you guys next time! :)

~Sincerely, Ari's (IT'SBEENFUCKINGFOREVER) Grace x.x