It feels like I haven't posted a chapter for ages when it wasn't even that long ago! Today, Aqua will take another well deserved rest. ... Well, that was the plan anyway. Enjoy!
"Are you sure this is right, Aqua? Should we really be here?"
"Of course! I've had the Master's permission, don't you worry."
Aqua couldn't help but smile at Ven's nervousness. He glanced all around, as if Master Eraqus would show up from behind any tree and lecture them.
Of course, she did not tell Ven how hard it had been to actually convince their Master to let Ven leave the Land of Departure. She spent more than an hour arguing with him before he finally agreed.
Aqua could understand the Master's fears. Xehanort had plans for the boy, and Ven wasn't safe anywhere, but by Master Eraqus's side. Vanitas was still around, and if he had proven not to be a threat to Aqua (it took a while for her Master to reluctantly admit that), he would still pretty much be a threat to Ven. She had to promise to never leave Ventus alone, and to flee at the first sign of danger. Ventus's safety was her priority.
"Tell me, Aqua, why did you take me with you, all of a sudden?"
"Well, I don't think it's fair to you that Terra and I get to travel across all those worlds, and come back with plenty of stories to share, while you are training all day long and never get the chance to see any of the wonders we're talking about. I think that it could be a good thing for you to come with us from time to time." She tenderly ruffled his hair and he chuckled, happy.
She couldn't tell the second reason. She couldn't tell him that she spent so much time with Terra and Vanitas she felt she was growing apart from him. She couldn't tell him that she heard Terra's or Vanitas's laugh so many times lately, but had barely even heard his voice at all. She couldn't tell him that even though they were living under the same roof, she was missing her little brother of heart.
Although she did not tell him all of that, faking a smile instead, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He gave her a huge smile that melted her heart. He always knew when she was feeling down, and always did his best to cheer her up.
"It's true that you've been really busy, I'm glad I can spend some time with you!"
They cheerfully chattered as they walked on the path to the Castle, pausing their conversation only to destroy the Unversed that showed up. Aqua made sure none of them was actually Memo (Vanitas already showed her that even if Memo was destroyed, he could summon her back at will, but Aqua had grown attached to the tiny creature) and that Ven was able to deal with his Unversed. She happily noted he had gotten much better at sparring and at casting spells – having three teachers did wonders to him.
As Ven destroyed the last creature, they heard someone clapping from behind them. Ven was ready, keyblade in hand, about to jump on the silhouette emerging from the woods. Aqua gently put her own keyblade in front of Ven, preventing him from attacking.
"Good afternoon, Vanitas. It's a pretty lovely day, isn't it?"
Saying she wasn't nervous would be quite a big lie. She knew he would not hurt her, but she wasn't sure how he would react at Ven's presence.
"Look at that! She's taking the kid out, how sweet of her. If you're tired of him, sure, you could abandon him in the forest, but I know another place where it would warm an old man's heart to welcome this child."
"Back off, Vanitas. Tell your Master I am not interested." Ven angrily answered, trying to take a step forward, only to be stopped again by Aqua's blade.
"We do not wish to fight, Vanitas. Can we please go our own way, and you yours?"
"I did not even came to pick a fight. I just wanted to see who was destroying my beloved pets. I hoped it would be Terra, quite frankly, I've learnt some new skills I'd love to try on him."
This time, Aqua had to catch Ven by the arm to stop him from jumping on Vanitas. Vanitas talking about Aqua was Terra's weak point, but badmouthing Terra was clearly Ventus's.
"But what I've seen today instead is much more interesting than fighting Terra! See you around!" He cackled as he disappeared back into the forest, and Aqua closed her eyes, weighing the mistake she had made. Vanitas would tell Xehanort that Ventus was allowed outside. Which left her with two options: protect Ventus, meaning trapping him once again in the Land of Departure, like a bird in a cage, or hope she would be strong enough to protect him, keeping that from Master Eraqus but putting him in danger. She felt the choice wasn't really hers.
"Aqua? Could we... Could we not tell the Master, please?" She looked at him, surprised, while he was pleading her. "I know you are against lying or hiding stuff from the Master, but... I really enjoyed today. I want to go on missions with you. We haven't talked and laughed like that for months! I don't want to lose you again. So, please?"
She hugged him really tight, and he hugged her back probably even tighter. She buried her head in his messy, spiky hair and laughed.
"Fine. This will stay between you and I. But you have to promise me to be even more careful now. Do not pick fights with Vanitas, and especially not with Master Xehanort. Terra can barely overpower Vanitas, so don't you try."
"He told me already! But he also said he's got a huge advantage over Vanitas: Terra can heal, while Vanitas always run away if he's severely wounded! So there's no way Terra would ever lose to him!"
Aqua kindly let go of him and ruffled his hair one more time (she could actually do that all day long and he would probably never complain). "You're right... As long as Terra can heal himself, he cannot get dangerously wounded." That was not exactly what Ven had said, but if he noticed, he did not say a word about it and just nodded.
"Let's go home for today, shall we? You were a great help in defeating the unversed, thanks!"
He grinned and tapped his shoulder pad, letting his armour surround his body.
"Let's race! The loser cleans up the dishes for a week!"
Aqua laughed and jumped on her Glider. "Ventus? Never forget that I love you, okay?"
Even with the full armour, she could tell he blushed. "What's with that, all of a sudden...? Of course I'm not going to forget, I love you too! You guys are my best friends, and... Hey, cheater!"
Aqua had taken off and started the race, leaving him behind. But she could hear his laugh behind her, and soon enough, her voice echoed his throughout the whole Lane Between.
This chapter is actually my personal favourite of the whole fic. Gosh, in canon I don't even like Ventus that much, but he is such a cinnamon roll here. He's caught up in the middle of things he has nothing to do with, and this is really sad.
I think a drinking game could be made out of this story though : every time Aqua smiles, laughes, ruffles someone's hair, or every time Vanitas grins/smirks, you drink. You'd get drunk in less than 3 minutes I'm sure XD
Also : "I know you are against lying or hiding stuff from the Master" *personal smirk at Ventus's innocence*
Vanitas, as well as Aqua/Terra/Ventus were featured in my Prompt Calendar, be sure to check that out if you love those precious babies!