He stares me down and I stare back. the room is silent, until someone finally speaks.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Sora. Incubi shouldn't feed on one another." Dad says.
Sora shakes his head, "But I haven't transformed yet. I'm still technically human. So, it'd be safe for him to feed on me."
"Safe.. For who?" I glare weakly at him.
He looks at me and smiles bright, "You."
"That's not.. Fair." I shake my head, weaker than before, "I could seriously.. Hurt or kill.. You.. I won't risk.. It."
It's getting harder to see, my vision is blurring and darkness edges across my eyes. It's already taking most of my energy to simply shake my head. My body is trying to go completely limp, but I force myself to stay conscious. If I fall, I might not come back. That scares me, but the thought of accidentally killing my brother scares me more. I won't risk anyone's safety for the sake of my own.
"Vanitas, you'll die." Sora says, "You need to feed, and now. There's no way you can hunt in your condition. This is the safest way. I'm stronger, more resilient than a regular human, so I should be fine."
"I won't.." I reply.
He sighs, "Look, I know you don't like this, what we are, but you'll die if you don't feed. I don't want you to die, you're my brother, I love you more than anything. Let me help you for once. Just this once, okay?"
I want to protest, to tell him to just let me die. But he's right. I don't like what I have to be, but can I really let myself die just because? I know my family will be upset if I die. Xion will be upset. Does that change anything? With what Xehanort says I'm supposed to be, letting myself die seems like the right choice, doesn't it? What can I do? I'm poison for my kind and everyone else, I don't deserve to live, so why am I still trying? I should let go. Then no one else will be hurt because of me. That's the answer, I know it is, so why am I still fighting?
I know I have to die, it'll stop everything that I'm supposed to create before it even begins. My vision goes completely dark and Dad moves and lies me on the couch. My body is numb, limp. I can barely feel my limbs. Someone grabs my hand, and Sora's voice is soft and right next to me, "Please don't give up, just let me save you."
Save me. It's too late to save me, brother. I sigh weakly, "Sora.. I.. You need to.. Understand.. Something.. I know you.. Won't like this.. But.. You have.. To let me.. Me die.. It's what's right.."
"No!" Sora sobs, "I won't just sit back and watch you die, Vanitas, I won't!"
I close my eyes, "Sora.. Please.. You have.. To.. Understand.. My.. Situation.. If I die.. It changes.. Everything.."
"No!" he continues crying, "That's not true! You can't just give up on yourself! Tell me you won't!"
"Sora.." I say, my voice resides at a barely above whisper octave.
Someone grabs my shirt collar and shakes me. I know it's Sora when he starts screaming in my face, "Tell me you won't give up, Vanitas! You can't do this to me! You can't just decide you know what's best for the world is your death! I won't let you! I won't let you die because you don't want to fight! I'll make you keep fighting for as long as it takes! You mean something to us, I won't just let you go!"
"You.. Have to.." I reply.
"I won't!" he sobs, "I won't.."
I open my eyes, but I don't tell him I can't see anything. I turn towards his voice, "Sora.. You have.. To promise.. Me.. Something.."
He sniffs, "What..?"
"You.. Have to.. Protect.. Xion.. For me.. Okay..?" I ask.
He cries, "I.. You'll be okay! You can protect her yourself!"
I don't have much time left.
"He's stalling us." Cid says, "He's dying, and he's stalling us so we can't stop him. Can't make him feed if he doesn't want to. That's the problem."
"What do we do?" Roxas asks.
"There must be something.." Ventus adds.
"He wants to die.." Larxene sighs, "Emo much?"
"Larxene!" Aerith scolds.
"Is there anything we can do?" Mom asks.
"There has to be!" Sora cries, he shakes me, "I won't let you die! Feed on me, please!"
"At this point.." I mutter, "I'd kill you.."
Sora sobs and Dad speaks, "He's right. From the looks of it, he's pretty much spent. It'd take at least two humans' life force to bring him all the way back."
"Then do it!" Sora continues to sob.
"Sora.. I.. Can't.. Not.. Again.." it's suddenly very hard to find oxygen.
"Please!" Sora shakes me some more, "Don't let yourself die! Don't you dare let yourself die!"
I wince, remembering the last thing Zexion had said to me. These words aren't the same, but the feeling behind it is. Despair. I can feel the waves of despair coming off him, which is weird. Even though I can't see anything, I can see waves of dark blue mist coming off the form in front of me. I inhale it, and my vision starts to come back. My eyes widen, I'm feeding on his emotion?! I try not to, but with each breath, my strength returns. Sora looks worn out, but the despair no longer comes off him. I blink slowly, after a moment, I sit up.
How did that happen? It doesn't look like anyone else knows what just happened. Instinct took over as I was about to die. I should be happy about that, but I'm not. Sora looks at me and smiles softly, "Are you okay..?"
I nod slowly, "I think so.. Sora, I.. I think I.. Fed on your emotion.."
Sora looks surprised, but he also looks relieved, "I didn't feel anything. No harm done, and you're okay."
Still not sure if I'm happy about that.