Disclaimer: I don't kingdom hearts or naything related. I also can't remember to put up a disclamer...

Chapter 8

"Watch this Sora!" Riku took the soccer ball and placed it on the ground. He made sure everyone was watching him before he kicked it towards his oldest brother Loz. It missed his head by a few inches and Loz turned to them, "Watch he's going to cry!" Riku said. He smiled easily at his brother and waited for the tears to begin.

"You shouldn't make people cry." Kairi said. Riku rolled his eyes and turned away from his brother.

"But Loz is a crybaby, he needs to cry or he'll die." he tried to explain, "That's what Yazoo says."

"No, you shouldn't make people cry, and he's gonna scare you tonight when you get home and you'll go and wet the bed and get in trouble like always." Kairi said.

Riku's cheeks reddened slightly, "I don't even wet the bed anymore." he said defensively, "Right Sora?" They both turned to Sora and waited for an answer.

"Uh, yeah?" he guessed, how was he supposed to know? He'd never been to Riku's house. "Riku? What does your house look like? Is it big like this one?"

"Yeah, it's even bigger though. And we have a game room and there's a big kitchen and my dad has a trophy room because he wins a lot of medals and Loz is on the football team and Yazoo is a nerd so he gets stuff and Kadaj plays baseball." Riku said, "I'm going to get a trophy in there too. But then we have a big pool in the backyard and even more stuff."

"What's a pool?" Sora asked.

"A thingy filled with water; I can swim really well in it." Riku said.

"Stop trying to make people jealous, Sora doesn't care about pools. Right Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Right." he agreed. He hadn't even seen a pool before and he was really worried about it. "You know, I think Xion is sad." he pointed to the girl he'd met the day before.

"Namine likes her, maybe they can draw together." Kairi said, "You know Namine drew me a picture of a turkey. I told her that it had to be blue with purple hair and glitter and it needed tentacles so it could climb mountains. When she was done, it didn't look like a turkey anymore."

"Why don't you draw pictures?" Sora asked.

"You know, Namine's better." Kairi answered with a shrug, "Where's your brother?" Sora looked around the backyard and didn't see him.

"I don't know." He said, "I bet he's mad because his friends didn't show up."

"Gramma says he shouldn't play with Axel because axel is a very bad dirty boy. But he looks clean so it wouldn't matter about the dirty part." Kairi said, "But he steals a lot."

"No, Roxas says he borrows, it'd different." Sora said, "Besides, Roxas wouldn't steal."

"Borrowing and stealing is the same thing, like when Kadaj was little, he tried to steal some candy. My dad caught him and said it was wrong to steal. Kadaj tried to say he was just borrowing and dad said, 'Borrowing? It's only borrowing if you give it back, and did you plan on giving it back after you ate it?' I think Kadaj said something stupid after that, I can't remember." Riku said, "But anyway, borrowing and stealing is the same thing."

"So does that mean Roxas steals too?" Kairi asked.

"No, Roxas doesn't steal." Sora said.

"Yes he does." Riku said.

"No he doesn't." Sora said.

"Prove it." Riku said. Sora stared before turning away.

"I don't have to prove anything to you." he said, "But come on, I'll prove he doen't steal." Sora walked off in search of Roxas and Riku and Kairi followed behind.

0.o.0.o.0

Ventus' eyes scanned the backyard for Roxas, where could he have gone now? He wasn't inside, he'd checked every room. He could locate every last kid but Roxas. "What are you looking for string bean?" Vanitas asked.

"String bean?" Ventus repeated, he ignored the new name, "I'm looking for Roxas."

"Why?" Vanitas asked.

"Because he should be with the other kids and he's not." Ventus explained.

"He's right there." Vanitas pointed to his side, Roxas was standing near Terra at the grill. "You weren't looking very hard were you?"

"Whatever." Ventus mumbled. He'd really only been looking to take his mind off of Vanitas, he had so many questions that he knew Vanitas wouldn't answer. "So um..." he decided to ask anyway, "Why do you live with TJ?"

"I don't." Vanitas said.

"But that's where we went to pick up Xion." Ventus said.

"Maybe he was baby sitting." Vanitas said.

"But he was at my house babysitting." Ventus said. Vanitas looked annoyed.

"I technically still live with my parents but... TJ's parents haven't been home for a while, they're on vacation. So... I decided to stay there for a little." Vanitas said, "It's safer there then at home."

"Why didn't you ask to stay with us?" Ventus asked. The answer of course would have been no if he had asked, but still they were as close of friends as Vanitas would get.

"Because I don't like you." Vanitas said.

"What? Then why do you come here so much?" Ventus asked.

"Because Aqua keeps inviting me." Vanitas said with a shrug, "And she doesn't ask questions."

"Ventus!" Ventus looked away from Vanitas and saw Roxas running towards him. "look! Terra drawed a face on my hotdog." Ventus stared down at the hotdog and sighed.

"It looks nice Roxas." he said.

"You waqnt one? I can get him to make you one." roxas said.

"Yeah, I want one." he said. Roxas nodded and walked away. Ventus turned back to Vanitas, "What's going on with your parents?"

"None of your business." Vanitas said. Ventus rolled his eyes.

"I bet you told TJ, he wouldn't have let you stay if you didn't." Ventus said childishly, "I'll ask him."

"Why do you want to know so bad?" Vanitas snapped.

"Because I have the right to know what kind of persons been hanging around my brothers." he said.

"Well, maybe I have the right to know some stuff about you." Vanitas said, "You haven't told anyone a thing about what's wrong with you and TJ." Ventus looked away and crossed his arms over his chest. He hadn't told because it wasn't important, at least not to him.

"I'll tell you if you tell me." he said.

"What?" Vanitas norrowed his eyes, "Are you serious?" ventus nodded, although he wasn't sure if he'd be able to talk about it yet, especially with Vanitas.

"You just have to promise not to tell anyone alright?" Ventus said.
Vanitas was silent, perhaps he was thinking it over. A part of vetus really hoped he'd decline the offer, after all this was beginning to get way too personal for both of them. "I got you both happy hot dogs." Roxas said as he returned, "But Terra accidently drew frowny faces on them. He wrote something on your plate too."

Ventus looked at the smeared ketchup, how was he supposed to read it? "I ran out of ketchup on my hotdog and I had to use yours." Of course, that explained it all.

"Thanks Roxas." Ventus took his hotdog and Vanitas did the same. Roxas sat down and started to eat. Ventus took a bite and glanced at Vanitas, he stared blankly at the hot dog. "Vanitas you don't-" he started.

"Alright." Vanitas said, "We'll do it tomorrow." he said. Ventus' heart almost stopped, how was he supposed to tell Vanitas what was going on between he and TJ? He swallowed the food in his mouth.

"You really don't have too." he said.

"You don't want to tell me?" Vanitas questioned.

"No, it's not that..." he said slowly, but it was that. He didn't want to tell anyone, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him, "Forget alright, I'll tell you." The conversation ended as Sora and his friends walked over.

"Where'd you get that hotdog Roxas?" Riku asked, " Did you borrow it?"

"No, Terra gave it to me." Roxas said.

"See, I told you!" Sora said.

"What are you guys doing?" Ventus asked.

"Sora says Roxas doesn't steal but I don't belive him because he hangs out with Axel and Axel steals all the time." Riku says, "I'm going to let it go for now."

"Yeah of course." Ventus said, "Why don't you go play somewhere else?"

"Yeah okay, but watch out. Yazoo's coming over here and he's weird." Riku said before running off, Roxas, Sora, and Kairi followed him. Just as Riku had said, his brother Yazoo walked over. Yazoo was 12 years old and there was no one in his age group at the picnic.

"Why aren't you with the other highschool kids." he asked.

"Why's it matter?" Vanitas asked.

Yazoo was silent for a minute, "You know I can read minds." he said finally, "And I know what you two are thinking."

"Go away." Vanitas said.

"Ventus, you are thinking about tomorrow and how you're going to tell Vanitas about what happened between you and TJ's dad." Yazoo said, "And Vanitas, you're thinking about how your parents-"

Vanitas reached out and grabbed the boys shirt, "Don't you dare say it. You have no right too alright?" he shook Yazoo a bit before letting him go, "Now get away, and if I ever hear you talking about what i'm thinking about, I'll rip you arms off and watch you bleed to death." Yazoo stared wide eyed before turning and running away.

"Vanitas, he's going to tell his dad!" Ventus said. Worry flicked through his eyes before he shrugged.

"What's he going to do?" Vanitas said, "He can't hurt me, he'll lose his job." Ventus glanced over to Sephiroth and quickly looked away, Yazoo was indeed telling his father what happened.

"Yeah but he'll drop Aqua as a client and then she'll be upset and-"

"Is Aqua a prostitute?" Vanitas asked suddenly.

"What? Why would you say that?" Ventus asked angrily.

"Because you said clients and sometimes prostitutes call they're customers clients. You know the regulars count as clients." Vanitas said.

"Shut up, she's not a prostitute." Ventus said.

"Don't get so offended, i'm just trying to change the subject." Vanitas said. Ventus sighed and looked away again.

"There's Xion." he pointed. They both watched Xion run over to them, a slip of paper in her hand. "I think she has something for you." Xion stopped in front of them and panted.

"Vanitas, I drew you something." she said with a smile.

"Huh? Why?" Vanitas questioned.

"Because you've been nice to me." she said. She handed him the paper and put her arms behind her back, waiting for his reaction, "Do you like it?

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's you, at the bakery! Namine let me use her crayons." Xion said. Ventus glanced at the picture, it was a blob. A black blob in an apron with points sticking out of it. It looked nothing like Vanitas, but it had his name written sloppily at the top with an arrow pointing to it.

"Oh." Vanitas said. Looked down at Xion, she was frowning now.

"You don't like it do you?" she mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"i'm sure he does like it, he's just at a loss for words." Ventus said quickly.

"Yup, i'm speechless." Vanitas murmured. He folded the picture and put it in his sweater, "Thanks."

"Your welcome!" she smiled before running off again.

"What's with kids and drawing me?" he wondered, "Am I that beautiful?"

"That's not it at all." Ventus said.

"Sure it is." Vanitas smirked, "I mean come on, look at me!"

Ventus rolled his eyes, "Your full of it." he said.

"Full of sexiness." Vanitas agreed. Ventus rolled his eyes again and heard Aqua chuckling.

"You keep rolling your eyes and they'll pop right out of your head." she said.

"Aqua, Perfect." Vanitas said, "Won't you tell Ventus i'm sexy?"

"Well, you're a very handsome boy but-"

"There you have it Ventus, i'm handsome." Vanitas said.

"But." Aqua continued, "You wear too much black, even when I see you at work your wearing black. I think you would look handsome in some blue or red." Aqua ranted and Vanitas slumped back in defeat.

"Whatever." he mumbled. Ventus chuckled and stood up.

"How much longer is this going to last?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, well it's almost nine, so all the people who have kids should be leaving soon. The rest of the people will leave soon too." she said, "I want you to get plenty of sleep tonight, we'll be seeing Terra off in the morning alright?"

"Right." Ventus said.

0.o.0.o.0

Ventus yawned as he brought the last of the chairs into the garage, he had no idea why Aqua wouldn't let him do it in the morning. "Ventus come on, we need to take a bath." Sora said.

"I already ran the bath water, why aren't you guys in the tub?" he questioned.

"Well, I figured you were dirty too, so we have to take a bath together." Sora explained, "It'll save water, because Kairi said the worlds going dry."

"It's not." Ventus said, "Now go, I'll be there in a minute."

"you'll take a bath?" Roxas asked.

Ventus thought it over, Vanitas and Xion were still here so... no way was he going to risk Vanitas finding out. He wouldn't let him live it down, he'd also blackmail him... "Maybe." he mumbled. He heard them running off and sighed.

"Why are you breathing like that Ventus?" Roxas asked, "I breathe out of my nose, Vexen says only people who don't know how to breath through their noses breath out of their mouth. But you do both all the time."

"Bath tub Roxas, Now." he said.

"But i'm clean! I only have a little dirt on me!" Roxas said.

"Roxas, you're not getting into my bed like that." Ventus said.

"It's not fair, you're not making Vanitas and Xion take a bath." Roxas mumbled, "Or Aqua, or Terra."

"I can't make them take a bath." he said, "But I can make you, now go." Roxas puffed up his cheeks and stomped away. Ventus sighed again, what was wrong with that boy?

"You know you handled that wrong." Vanitas said.

"where'd you come from?" Ventus asked.

"You should given him a spanking." Vanitas said.

"That never works." Ventus said.

"Sure it does, my dad used to do it all the time." Vanitas said.

"And look how great you turned out." Ventus mumbled sarcastically.

"Yes, i'm great I know." Vanitas agreed, "You know Xion's spending the night."

"What? Where is she supposed to sleep?" Ventus asked.

"In the guest room? You have more then one." Vanitas said, "I'm not staying if that's what your thinking, she just can't go home right now."

"Why not?" Ventus asked.

"None of your business." Vanitas said, "I'll be leaving after she gets to sleep. And that won't be until those boys are asleep. So hurry and take a bath with them."

"Uh, i'm not taking a bath with them. 'll wash them up but i'm not getting in the tub." Ventus said defensively.

"Whatever, make them sleep so they'll leave her alone." Vanitas said, "She'll need all of her strength for the weekend."

"What's happening?" Ventus asked.

"Nothing, just paternity tests and custody battles." Vanitas said.

"but I thought none of them wanted her." Ventus said.

"The custody battles not about her, it's me they're fighting over. Dad's keeping Xion, although I doubt that's a good idea. But they'll be getting a divorce and they have to split they're assets, including me." Vanitas said, "I don't want to stay with either of them."

"I thought you were staying with TJ." Ventus said.

"Well his parents will come home at some point." Vanitas said. They exited the garage and Ventus walked into the bathroom.

"Ventus! Roxas put dirt in the water and now it's all muddy." Sora said.

"Roxas..." Ventus frowned as he stared at the brown water.

"I wanted to make chocolate." Roxas said.

"Who taught you how to make chocolate?" Vanitas asked, "I'm more then sure you don't use dirt."

"Kairi told us." Roxas said.

"Kairi's on crack, she doesn't know anything about chocolate." Vanitas said.

"Hey shut up! Kairi's the smartest person ever, you just don't like her because you can't make chocolate, just muffins and bread." Sora said.

"Vanitas, just go put Xion to bed." Ventus said. He looked back at the boys, "Come on now, out of the tub."

"But we aren't clean." Sora said.

"Who cares I'll just change the sheets tomorrow, I don't have time for all of this." Ventus got the boys out of the tub and into their pajamas. He put them into bed and tucked them in, "Now go to bed." he said with a yawn.

"Your tired?" Roxas asked, "Come on, get in bed." Ventus sighed and crawled in between them. He wasn't going to fight it, he was sleepy and he didn't care if Vanitas saw him like this. Roxas patted his head, "You've had a long day."

"Yes he has." Sora agreed, "He ate three hotdogs."

"Go to sleep." Ventus mumbled. He squeezed his eyed shut and tried to drown them out, they'd been watching too much TV.

"Look at his face, maybe he's constipated." sora said. Ventus' eyes snapped open, what? "That means he can't poop. I saw a commercial for it, these pills make you poop. Maybe Aqua should buy you some."

"Oh god... no i'm fine. I'm just really sleepy." he said. He closed his eyes again and turned away from Sora.

"You're right, he does look constipated." Roxas said. Ventus turned and put his face in a pillow. He'd stay like this until the fell asleep. He waited for a few minutes before turning over. The boys were finally asleep. He yawned and closed his eyes again. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

0.o.0.o.0

I hope this satisfies you guys. Next two chapters will be Vanitas' and Ventus' falshback junk. I might need to change the rating or something, it's rated T already so I should be fine. They'll be sad chapters, no Sora or Roxas i'm afraid, well maybe snippets.