A/N: Ventus' lines about coffee were painful to write. So, so painful. Coffee Gods, forgive this heathen, for he has sinned

Also, for the record, I dislike Eraqus more than Xehanort. I like to avoid characters I dislike that much since I don't want to needlessly bash them, but Eraqus comes up in this chapter

Published: 2/16/2019

Warnings: Spoilers kinda? There's one for Union Cross, but it's pretty old so I'm not sure it counts. The dreams from the last chapter are mentioned but details aren't given.

Chapter 12

Wordlines

Ventus, unlike his brothers, was definitely a morning person. The young teen was usually up before the sun itself, internal clock snapping him awake early on, typically right before dawn. Not only that, Ventus could also function perfectly fine on four hours of sleep.

Vanitas claimed that these facts were complete and utter proof Ventus was the real evil one all along and that suggesting otherwise was a conspiracy, but then again, Vanitas was a petty bitch that never let things go.

With a yawn, Ventus sat up. Blinking, Ventus looked around, surprise quickly etching itself onto his face. This definitely was not his room. Well. His fake room, anyways. Ventus was 99 percent certain this was Vanitas' room.

Discarded Ice cream bowls stained with chocolate that Vanitas hadn't even bothered to clean up even though they only existed because he'd thought them into being proved this was definitely Vanitas' room.

Well, that, and the Xehanort portrait on the wall riddled with darts. Why Vanitas had willing followed someone he adamantly hated was still beyond Ventus(since Vanitas refused to explain), but hey, that was Van for you.

How'd Ventus end up here, anyways? He supposed he might have migrated over in the middle of the night, but the why was beyond him. Maybe Ventus had sleepwalked?

Soft snoring reached Ventus' ears. Titling his head, Ventus realized Sora was snuggled up a bit away, clutching tightly to a pillow, drooling all over the thing.

Ventus cooed.

"... Did you seriously just do that? Gods, you're so embarrassing."

Ventus jumped, eyes darting towards the door. There stood a shirtless Vanitas, leaning in the doorway, sipping coffee. Simulated coffee that Vanitas had willed into existence, so how it was effective at all was beyond Ventus. Why anyone bothered drinking the stuff was also beyond Ventus, but Vanitas was an addict, hands down.

Once the shock had worn off, Ventus rolled his eyes.

"Oh, please. Like you don't think Sora is adorable too." Ventus accused.

"Sora is my precious destroyer of worlds." Vanitas said shamelessly.

Ventus gave Vanitas a flat look, face rested in the palm of his hand.

"Sora's gonna be a Savior, you nincompoop."

Vanitas winced.

"I certainly hope not. Saviors don't get happy endings."

Elsewhere, Emma Swan, who'd inexplicably cheated her destiny and was currently leading a long, happy life, sneezed.

"I- can't refute that, actually." Ventus winced. He knew he sure as hell didn't get a happy ending. And, while he wasn't entirely sure what had happened to Terra and Aqua, he knew they hadn't gotten one either.

Terra definitely did not get one. Ventus didn't like thinking of Terra, or the whole possession plot Vanitas had reluctantly revealed, since doing so not only made Ventus furious, it made him want to hit Vanitas repeatedly since neither of them were entirely sure how it had went down.

Vanitas, seemingly sensing the road of turmoil Ventus' thoughts and emotions were taking him to, decided to change the subject.

"Anyways, while brat boy is sleeping- and seriously, only Sora could fall asleep while asleep, lazy little sky, we've got a few things to discuss." Vanitas said.

Ventus eyed the other wearily, only then realizing that while Ventus himself was typically up early, Vanitas was a chronic insomniac that took hours to fall asleep and then refused to leave for any reason afterwards, even when he did wake. Which, of course, meant that Ventus was typically up first. That Vanitas was not only up before him, but was drinking liquid yuck to wake himself up properly, was telling.

Without another word, Vanitas spun and departed. The silent message was clear. Carefully, as to not wake Sora, Ventus got up, and followed.

Ventus blinked. Blinking, followed by twitching. Twitching, because Vanitas was so utterly fond of his goddamn mysteries and, and Ventus swore this wasn't a pun, 'keeping others in the dark' that it was seriously getting ridiculous.

"What do you mean, you think you, me, and Sora gazed into an alternate reality?" Ventus spluttered.

"Worldline." Vanitas corrected as he made his third cup of coffee. Yes. Third. When Ventus said addict, he meant addict. "And, not just any Worldline. Considering we all had the dream at the exact same time, I can only assume we were gazing into the main one."

Ventus clutched at his head.

"But, what does that even mean?! Like, seriously, this is confusing." Ventus complained.

Vanitas rolled his eyes.

"Ventus, you ignorant slut, you've traveled Worldlines before. Hell, it's how you managed to travel a thousand years into the present day in the first place."

Ventus froze.

"Okay, I'm sorry, but what? Time travel? What are you on about?"

Vanitas blinked.

"Oh. Right. I forgot, you forgot about the Keyblade War." Vanitas said, chugging more of his coffee, apparently not yet being fully awake.

Ventus stiffened.

"I remember that very clearly." Ventus said.

Vanitas had the gaul looked surprised.

"Wait, you do? How? When? Why? What?"

Ventus crossed his arms and glared.

"Yes, Vanitas, I remember fighting you and the X obsessed bald one with Terra and Aqua. I'm not an idiot." Ventus reminded the other.

Vanitas blinked once more before tossing his head back in laughter. Ventus' glare hardened. Must. Not. Hit. Must. Not. Hit.

"Oh gods, you actually almost had me there. I thought you'd actually remembered something important." Vanitas chortled.

Screw it.

"Owe! Is that… A frying pan? You're really trying to beat me with a frying pa- ouch!"

"Stand still so I can hurt you some more!"

It had taken Vanitas several minutes to calm Ventus down and continue with his explanations. Unfortunately, Roxas did not get his temper from Sora, contrary to popular belief, and instead got it from the human marshmallow that should not be angered.

Reality shaking revelations tend to anger people. Vanitas should have really known better.

(Spoiler: he totally knew better which was why he had put this conversation off for as long as possible)

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I FOUGHT IN THE ORIGINAL KEYBLADE WAR!" Ventus bellowed, understandably upset.

Vanitas glared.

"Do you want to wake Sora? Do you want to be put back in the Hamster Ball? You know, he'll put you back in the Hamster Ball if you wake him this early." Vanitas admonished.

"YOU CAN'T JUST DROP A BOMBSHELL LIKE THAT AND EXPECT ME TO BE CALM!"

"You're lucky I made a sound proof barrier." Vanitas sniffed. "Although, considering the volume you're going off at, I'm not sure how affective it'll be."

"WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING FROM ME? WHATS NEXT, ARE YOU GOING TO CLAIM XEHANORT WAS A MISGUIDED GOOD GUY AND HE AND ERAQUS WERE SECRET GAY LOVERS?"

"The old coots batshit, period, and every villain always thinks they're the good guy even when they blatantly aren't." Vanitas shrugged. "As for the second part, I honestly wouldn't be surprised, a piece of shit deserves to be with another shit, don't you think?"

"First of all, HOW DARE YOU? Xehanort was a monster, but Master Eraqus-"

"Eraqus tried to murder you for merely existing." Vanitas interrupted coldly, expression hardening. For a moment, his eyes glowed with malevolent fury, putting a quick stop of Ventus' tirade as his mouth snapped shit. "I don't care for the why or the how or the circumstances. Eraqus took you in, promised to care for you. But, when push came to shove and it really mattered, he decided that instead of trying to save you, he'd kill you, after spending years claiming that he loved you. Eraqus is a creature that is beneath my contempt."

Ventus honestly didn't know how to respond to that.

"I…"

"Anyways," Vanitas continued, "as I was saying beforehand, the dreams we had all seemed linked. If we really did look into the main Worldline, that means we're living in an alternate reality. Some sort of shift took place here that didn't take place there. Regardless, since that's the main timeline, it has considerable influence over the rest."

Ventus narrowed his eyes.

"Define 'influence'."

Vanitas looked vaguely uncomfortable.

"Alright, so, this is also something I should have mentioned earlier, but… I'm not entirely here, hehe?" Vanitas scratched the back of his head.

…

…

"The hell do you mean, you aren't entirely here!" Ventus demanded.

"Look, the fight at the Graveyard was pretty brutal and we merged and you stabbed yourself and I'm pretty sure a part of my essence got left behind." Vanitas said, not bothering to beat around the bush.

"... And you didn't think that was an important thing to mention earlier?!" Ventus said incredulously.

Vanitas shrugged.

"I honestly hadn't noticed." Vanitas claimed. At Ventus' disbelieving expression, Vanitas continued, "I've always felt incomplete, but being near you makes me feel whole. I only noticed now because I actually checked." Vanitas defended.

"I make you feel whole?"

Vanitas turned scarlet.

"Shut up, you deviant! This is serious!"

Ventus crossed his arms.

"As serious as me fighting in the first Keyblade War in the age of Fairy Tales?" Ventus questioned before another sudden realization hit him. Eyes widening in shock, his arms fell to his side. "Wait, does Xehanort know about all of this?"

It was Vanitas' turn to shoot Ventus an incredulous look.

"Ventus, you knucklehead, why in the hell would I tell any of this to that ancient twisted fossil? Gods knows he's already destructive enough as it is." Vanitas said.

"You followed him in the first place." Ventus reminded.

"I hardly had a choice." Vanitas all but growled. "And, to be blunt, I might not have a choice later on."

Ventus froze.

"Ventus, I- if it comes to it- I- I need you to-" Vanitas' voice began to hitch. Then, the others expression hardened as he gazed straight at Ventus. "If that happens, put an end to me."

"I'm asking you, as a friend... Just... Put an end to me."

Ventus choked, a memory ripping itself into his head. Him, Terra, and Aqua at the Graveyard, and Ven's plea that they just finish him before it was too late because Eraqus' attack had shaken him that much.

They'd refused and maybe if they hadn't things would be different, maybe things would have been-

No. Ventus had asked his friends to kill him, and now his brother was standing in front of him doing the exact same, and only then did Ventus realize how twisted, how selfish such a demand was. How utterly heartbreaking it was.

He'd have to part of it. He refused.

Vanitas gasped as Ventus leapt forth, the smaller teen clinging to his chest similar to how Sora had last night.

"No. No, Van. I won't and I'm kinda pissed that you're asking that of me in the first place but I get where you're coming from. I know it's scary, but we'll make it through it. Somehow."

"I… How? How can you be so sure?" Vanitas asked, sounding lost.

Ventus pulled back and smiled.

"You don't. You just believe."

"Just… Just believe…" Vanitas repeated. "I- yeah. Believe. Alright. Believe."

Several hours later, after making sure both Sora and Ventus were out and down for the count, Vanitas took control of the body. Making his way out of Sora's bedroom, Vanitas snuck out of the house and to the one next door.

Sneaking up a wall was childsplay, even in such a tiny body. So it was that Vanitas reached his detonation, knocking away at a glass plain.

Riku opened the window, annoyed, rubbing at his eyes sleepily.

"Sora? What're you doin' here so early?" Riku yawned.

"Dawn," Vanitas greeted, revealing his own identity in the process. "I have a story to tell you."

Perhaps telling a nine year old such vital and important details and excharging him with killing Vanitas should Vanitas go rouge was a bad idea, but Vanitas had never claimed to make good decisions. Riku was also technically older than Vanitas, so, really, Vanitas was just taking his problems up with one of his elders and that wasn't so bad, was it?

Besides, it's not like Vanitas would unveil everything at once. Oh no. Where would the fun in that be? No. It would be better if Riku came to his own conclusions.

Then… When the time was right… Riku would do what the others could not.