A/N: Chapter 14. I'm sorry for the wait. Please review and thank you for reading this. :3 Disclaimer: I do not own kingdom hearts
Vanitas POV:
I took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. 'I just know this isn't going to end well,' I thought as I shifted Ventus in my arms to open the door to my house. He murmured something then snuggled against me. I smiled involuntarily. It vanished as soon as I walked through the door. The house was in complete disarray. The lights were all dimmed, emitting an eerie atmosphere. "Sora? Sora, are you here?" I called, cursing the trembling in my voice. There was a small squeak from behind the overturned couch. My brother's spiky brown head popped up from a cushion. His face was contorted in fear, confusion, and relief. "Vanitas...you're okay," he breathed.
I winced; his voice was raspy and sounded like it had been through a cheese grater. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I said, leaning on my heels. Sora struggled out from his hiding spot then froze as he noticed who was in my arms. Rage mixing with his fear, Sora took a stiff step forward then back again. "Why did you bring him here? Don't you know what he's done?" he growled, clutching his hands to his chest. I frowned deeply at him, then gestured with my head towards the couch. "Fix it so I can explain," I snapped.
He jumped then hesitantly lifted the couch into its upright position. I waited until he set the cushions back in the couch before laying the sleeping Ventus down gently. He winced slightly and curled in on himself into the fetal position. My heart panged and I instantly wanted to wrap him in my arms again.
Sora flinched back as I turned to him. "Where are Mom and Dad?" I asked, looking around the living room. Tears seeped down his face and a heartbreaking sob erupted from his throat. Without a word, he took my hand and led me to our parents room. I felt the ominous feeling of dread creep into my skin. The door opened and I nearly collapsed. My parents lay in a crippled heap, their heads and chests bleeding profusely from the bullet wounds. "The police came, demanding that we turn over that freak. They tried to tell them they didn't know where it was. Out of fear, the police shot them both. I hid behind the couch," he said, his voice choking. I felt my eyes fill with tears but I didn't have any emotional intelligence of what was laid before me. Truly, my parents were never really the parents I needed or wanted. I realized that I hated them and, to my shock, that I was slightly happy they were dead.
"Good. Leave them there to rot," I said, my voice cold and hard. I ignored Sora's gasp of horror and practically stomped back to my Ven. He was, after all, everything I needed. I knelt next to his sleeping form. "Start explaining," Sora said suddenly from the hallway. I looked up at him and flinched slightly at his livid expression. I bit my lip then sat down near Ven. "Okay, you know how he kills people by touching them? He was cursed at birth. He doesn't want to kill, in fact he hates it to the point of wanting to kill himself," I said. Sora raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that? Did he tell you?" he said sitting far away from Ventus. I frowned and nodded. He snorted in disgust. "Of course he did. You believed him too, right?" he asked. I nodded again, slower than before. Sora rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You do realize that he kills people? That he could also kill you if you're not too careful?" he said.
I sighed and reached up to touch the sleeping boy's face. Sora raised his hand to stop me then halted. I caressed Ven's smooth skin, my eyes fixed on my brother's. A torrent of emotions swirled over his face as he tried to register my display of "immortality". He was silent then leaned against the chair. "How can you touch him?" he whispered. I shook my head and moved over to him.
He barely acknowledged my presence as I sat near him. "Sora, as my brother, please try to understand. Neither Ventus or I know how I'm the only one to touch him. The only other person to understand that was his best friend, Xion. Unfortunately, she's no longer here. Note, I don't know what happened exactly, but I do know that her death sent him over the edge. That's why he killed those people and almost you," I explained. Sora furrowed his eyebrows and pressed his lips together in thought. I had the urge to tell him about the cave but decided against it; it was Ven's only escape. "You said...you loved him?" Sora asked.
I blinked then nodded hesitantly, afraid of his response. He snorted and sent me a suggestive look. "You fucked him, didn't you?" he asked. I choked on my spit and felt my face flame. 'Where the hell did that come from?' I thought. Sora grinned wryly and gestured over to Ven. "I still don't trust him, but if you're in love with him and have given yourself to him then I'll just have to get over it. Somehow," he said. I felt like giving him a huge hug, yet the way his eyes filled with sadness made me pause. I was about to speak when Ventus stirred.
Ventus POV:
I woke up slowly, my eyes throbbing. My head felt foggy and my limbs felt like gelatin. I shifted slightly and stopped immediately as a dull yet prominent pulse shot up my spine. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop my wince. My lids felt like weights and I heard the vague yet familiar voice of Vanitas. He was talking quietly to someone, his deep voice rumbling a few feet away.
I felt an ache in my chest and realized I wasn't breathing. I inhaled rather shakily and his voice stopped. I wanted desperately to see him and forced my eyes open, slowly. Panic seared through me as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings. I let out a raspy screech and, despite the pain, scrambled off my sleeping place. I faintly heard Vanitas trying to calm me down.
My eyes flicked wildly, taking in the house. I felt hands on my arms and whirled around in fright. I sobbed and rushed blindly away from the source. I found a dark corner in what I assumed was the kitchen. I curled up in the cramped space and cried. My entire body was shaking. 'Where am I? How did I get here?' I thought frantically.
Over my tearful gasps, I heard Vanitas talking again. "What do you mean 'why did he freak out?'? He's never been in my house before and he randomly woke up here. I'd flip out too if I woke up in a strange place," he growled. I felt a lump fill in my throat and tried to calm down. "Jesus...he acted like an animal being caged up," said a voice. I trembled violently as the scent of the house hit me with unfamiliarity. "Wouldn't you?" Vanitas said, his voice slightly closer than before. I was torn between my fear of the strange and foreign place and the desire to be with Vanitas. "Ventus. Ven, it's okay. You're in my house. I took you here after you fell asleep. Everything's alright. I promise," Vanitas said in a soothing voice.
I opened my eyes and hesitantly glanced over towards his voice. From the darkness of my hiding place, I could only make out his hand reaching gently, waiting for me to take it. "Please come out. It's just me and Sora here," he said. I felt my heart clench. I trembled harder and shook my head violently. "I-I can't! I-I-I almost k-killed him. He w-won't want to see my f-face," I sobbed, my voice cracking. Vanitas was silent. I heard a faint rustling and saw a new pair of legs kneel down near Vanitas. "Ventus, it's Sora. Could you answer me something?" Sora asked gently. I cringed at the sound of his voice, the way fear tinged it. Though the fear was slight, it still reminded me of his response. 'Don't kill me!'
His voice echoed through my mind. "Ventus?" he asked again. I hesitantly squeaked a 'yes'. He sighed and I winced. "Did you mean to kill those people and me?" he asked. I shivered and shook my head violently. "I-I never mean to kill. I hate myself for causing death. When I killed those people, I wasn't myself. The b-boy who c-cursed me took over when...when Xion-," I cut off, my sobs heaving from my chest. Vanitas stiffened and shifted forward. "Boy? What boy, Ven?" he asked. I flinched and he apologized.
"Ventus, can you please come out? I just want to understand. I won't condemn you. I'd just like to believe you," Sora said. I stopped shivering, my shock overpowering the fear momentarily. I, slowly, crawled forward and peeked my head out of my hiding place, which I now realized was an empty, broken cupboard.
The moment I saw Vanitas, I launched myself into his arms and clung to him. His strong arms wrapped around me tightly and his face buried itself into my neck. I inhaled his dark, spicy scent and felt guilty at my previous reaction to his touch. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I was scared and-and," I stammered, my fingers clutching his back. Vanitas shushed me softly and stroked my hair.
"It's alright, Ven, it's alright. I'm sorry for not thinking about you first. I should've known you'd freak out in a strange place," he said. I held him until I stopped trembling. My breathing calmed and I relaxed."I'll never doubt that you two love each other ever again," Sora said in amusement. I felt Vanitas laugh and smiled slightly. I pulled my face from its place against his shoulder and looked at Sora. "I'm sorry for what I've done," I said.
He blinked, taken aback. Vanitas sighed and I looked up at him. His golden gaze stared down at me, filled with concern. "Ventus, you need to talk to me. What boy?" he said. Before I could answer him, Sora huffed in annoyance. We both looked over at him. "Sorry for interrupting but do you think we should go in the living room? I mean, we are sitting on the freezing cold tiled floor," he said. I couldn't help but giggle. Vanitas chuckled and got up. I was pulled up along with him and stepped away, embarrassed. We all walked into the living room. I halted as we passed the hallway.
My nose twitched and I stiffened rigidly. "What, Ven?" Vanitas asked. I shifted slightly left and faced the hallway. I sniffed the air and nearly recoiled at the scent emerging from the room at the end of the hallway. I'd smelled it before when I'd woken up. I couldn't figure out what it was at first but I knew it was bad. "Ventus, what is it?" Sora asked. I shook my head and moved forward a step.
The scent was nearly overpowering. 'Death. You smell death,' I thought. I frowned and smelled the air again, cringing. "Someone...no...two people have died. In that room," I said. I sniffed then wrinkled my nose. "The scent of death is getting stronger. Can't you smell it?" I muttered, moving forward. Vanitas took my arm, halting me. I turned and furrowed my brows in confusion. He and Sora were looking at me in fear.
"You can smell them?" Sora asked. I nodded, now afraid. He shared a look with Vanitas. I flinched at my Vani's expression. His whole demeanor had changed. He was afraid of me. "W-who's in the room?" I asked. He looked at me then away. "My parents. The police came here looking for you and shot them," Vanitas said. I couldn't describe the feeling that occurred in my chest. It was as though my heart was being destroyed over and over again. 'I killed his parents,' I thought. I stumbled back and clenched my eyes shut. Suddenly, I understood what I needed to do. I felt my emotions drain away leaving nothing but grim resolve.
I shoved past them, careful not to touch Sora. "Ventus, where-?" Vanitas asked before I snatched my hand away without looking at him. He flinched in surprised dismay. I walked forward and opened the door. "Ventus, don't leave, please. I can't lose you again," Vanitas said. I paused. "Vanitas, all I've done is ruin your life. You'd be better without me," I said.
Vanitas was silent. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned in surprise to see Sora. "I've never seen my brother so happy in my life. You're his world. I might not be able to understand why things are the way they are but I do know that this isn't your fault. You told me that you don't mean to kill people and I've chosen to believe you. Now I'm willing to help you but I can't if you walk out of here. My parents died for a reason. You might have been the subject but it was the police who killed them.
"He is going to be obliterated if you leave. Besides, you really have no place to go except into Death's hands. I'm sure as hell not going to let that happen to my new friend," he said. I bit my lip and looked at the ground. He patted my back and shut the door. Gently, he led me over to the couch and sat me down. Vanitas sat near me but was hesitant. I sighed and reached my hand out. I gripped his hand in mine. He looked at me then smiled. Sora curled up on the armchair across from us.
"So, would you mind telling me why you're cursed?" he asked. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I shared a look with Vanitas, who nodded encouragingly. "I was born cursed. There was a boy who I suppose lived in my mind and he tried to take over me. My parents wouldn't let him. They set this kind of spell, y'know, like in Harry Potter when the mom set that love protection spell," I said, pausing only a moment to catch my breath. Sora raised his eyebrows and Vanitas chuckled. I looked between them in confusion. "Harry Potter, really?" Sora said, giggling. I blushed. 'You let your nerdiness show. Good job, Ventus,' I thought.
A/N: *peeks out from blanket* I-I'm sorry for the long w-wait. Ah, please forgive me! *hides