I don't own anything associated with Kingdom Hearts. It belongs to Square Enix/Disney.

Dreamer

Time was measured by the dripping of the faucet.

Vanitas waited, his mind guiding him through dozens of scenarios as he wondered how he was going to extract himself from this mess. Sprawled out on a couch, he kept an eye on the door. It was Aqua's motel room; she had to come back eventually.

However, as the light waned and shadows began to creep across the floor, he had to accept that wasn't true.

He sat in Aqua's room, alone with nothing but the darkness to keep him company.

That's all he ever wanted, wasn't it?

There was only one candle to light the room, and it sat on a round table by the other end of the couch. Vanitas moved his feet so that he could see it, and its waving flame was reflected in his helmet.

He should tell Xehanort, confess all and end this. She would leave him; Maleficent knew it, he knew it. Why risk everything for an endeavor destined to fail? It reminded him of that puppy he had found; it had been way back when he had just separated from Ventus, and the puppy had followed him after he'd rescued it from some monsters. He had seen no harm in keeping it, and brought it back with him to his Master.

Xehanort had snapped its neck. It had been the only time Vanitas needed that lesson.

Now, here he was again, laying claim to something that wasn't his. Things wouldn't end well, they couldn't; either Xehanort would find out, or Ventus and Terra would break her, or he would give into his violent urges in a heat of rage. It was inevitable.

Sometimes though, when he was at his weakest, he thought otherwise. He saw things working, of him somehow breaking free from Xehanort's grip, and not only having, but keeping a friend.

But Vanitas wasn't much of a dreamer, and he would shut those thoughts down. Aqua was a warrior, not a princess, and he was no knight. Their story wouldn't have a happy ending.

He left then to look for her, asking around town. A sympathetic innkeeper confirmed that she had found another bed for the night and with his skills, it wasn't hard to sniff her out.

He stood in the corner of her room, watching her sleep peacefully.

He stepped closer. Aqua was so vulnerable when she slept, didn't she know better? He himself was trained to wake at the drop of a pin, ready to fight. But Aqua had no safeguards. She simply trusted people not to harm her.

She stirred. Vanitas backed into the shadows just as her eyes opened. Confused, Aqua sat up, rubbing her eyes. Cautiously, she whispered, "Vanitas?"

She hadn't seen him yet. The peace of twilight would be a good time to make amends, wouldn't it? He opened his mouth to speak, and then didn't, instead teleporting away.

He was too scared to say sorry; too scared that she would finally reject him.