How did I end up with a weird VaNami thing happening? This isn't what they were supposed to do, lol. -sprays them with a water bottle- This is still supposed to be no ships!

ConfusedGuest FFnet Review: I'm starting to forget that FFnet doesn't have tags, and that I have a very sparse description for this story. I apologize for forgetting to put up some of my other usual tags. I am writing this story assuming you're fully up to date with KHUX/KH overall. In KH3, Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, and Larxene were brought back into the Real Org because they had connections to the Ancient Keyblade War. Larxene was just a Wielder. Marluxia was a leader (his sister was supposed to be one too, Strelitzia). We don't know anything about Demyx or Luxord's connections. Many fans assume due to descriptions that the Mysterious Girl X mentioned in the KH3 Secret Reports by Saix was Skuld.

Please watch Everglow, or another youtuber's KHUX story timelines in case you haven't (I don't believe the finale was added, and that's a solid 45 minutes of cutscene). I know it was just a mobile game, but you won't know canon characters or understand aspects of KH going forward if you decided to just skip it all because it was "a side game." It's unfortunate it was on mobile, yes, but hopefully, other than back cover, Square will recreate KHUX in some form and easily obtained fashion.

Please R&R!

I woke up in the trash and got adopted by the local trio.
xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Sora was… not really alright. He was silently pacing the apartment, which was a whole lot more spacious as a cat. He didn't know much about cats despite there being plenty of them at home. There were cared for colonies at the docks and on the boats to help with keeping vermin under control. However, it was around fifteen that students learned more about them and how to care for them since they were integral to their fishing industry and livelihoods.

Sure, a lot of Islanders took on different jobs, but they were an Island. Surrounded by water. Seafood was their main food source, and rats and mice only had one place to really go.

His problem right now though, was that the way he'd managed to implement World Magic for himself was more literal. Sure he could still talk- this World allowed for talking animals to still be possible. No, it was that he felt feline urges, and his vision was weird. It was as if his Magic couldn't figure out if it should actually be like a cat's or his own, and the world had become somewhat desaturated.

His vision in the dark was pretty stellar though.

If he had the chance to ask, he'd have to ask Donald how he implemented World Magic. As a lion cub he hadn't had this problem, and when he'd been a merman, other than the fin and being able to breathe underwater, nothing had really changed as far as he could tell.

He had to admit though, that swimming underwater as a human would never be a problem for him again.

It was late into the night and Riku hadn't returned just yet. Ava had gone to sleep, and he was restless.

Cat's really were nocturnal.

There was a shimmer and a click, and Sora felt his fur stand on end as he puffed up with his back arched. He instinctively bared his teeth and held in a hiss as his claws dug deep into the rug below him.

Riku poked his head in without noticing him, winced, and quickly closed the door behind him with a gentle click. There were grocery bags in his hands and he moved to quickly put his perishables in the fridge when he stopped.

He caught Sora's eyes with a snap of his head, and they stood silent for a moment before Riku burst out in startled laughter. Sora hissed and made a few stumbled (claws are stuck! CLAWS ARE STUCK!) steps back before falling over in a frenzied ball of screeching limbs and crumpled rug before he beelined and ran smack into Ava's door and yowled.

Riku tried to hold back, he did! But he was somewhere between utter disbelief, amusement, being startled, and concern for his friend.

There was a thump and Ava soon slid open her bedroom door with a harsh clack and looked absolutely frazzled in an oversized shirt, her pink curly hair in complete disarray, and pajama pants.

Riku swallowed his laughter while Sora squeezed past Ava and disappeared into her barely open closet without her notice.

Riku bit the inside of his mouth as he cringed, "S-sorry for coming back so late."

She was looking at him with a death stare that only someone woken abruptly from a good sleep could give. "Riku."

"Y-yeah?"

"Go. To sleep."

Riku nodded frantically as she went to step back into her room before she paused with a quick lookover of the space, "...Did you see Sora?"

Riku blinked, "All I saw was a puffed up ball of fur and glowing bright blue eyes gleaming in the dark."

Ava glanced back to him. "So you could see him."

Riku ruffled his hair, "...So that really was Sora?" Ava nodded as he continued, "...Ah. I'll have to apologize to him."

Ava looked back at him, "Do that. Tomorrow." She stepped back and roughly slid her door shut.

Riku made a face. She… does know Sora ran in there, right?

Oh well. Not his problem now.

He put his items away and camped out on the couch.

It was well into the morning that he was suddenly smacked with a pillow to the face. He grunted and slapped it away with bleary eyes, "Hey!"

Ava was looking down at him annoyed and worried, "I let you sleep in, now help me find Sora."

Riku stretched with a groan before shifting to sit up properly on the couch. He shifted his neck to try and crack it (the couch was kind of small for him) and pushed himself up. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Alright. Last I saw he went into your room."

Ava paused at that, tilted her head and slowly gained a look of horror, "What!?"

Riku turned to her in confusion, "You don't remember last night?"

She seemed to be going over her memories for a moment before gasping, "I… I only half remember yelling at you last night! S-sorry about that!"

Riku waved his hand, "It was understandable. No harm done."

Ava worried and paced a few times before opening her bedroom door with a flourish and red cheeks, "Oh sweet Light, where did he go?!"

She had forgotten about his feline form by morning, and once she was in her room, had walked around getting dressed and ready for the day at her own pace! Sure she'd (Keyblade) locked the door, but she'd taken her time putting her clothes on!

She started looking under the bed and around furniture while Riku peered in, refusing to enter the sacred realm of a girl's room. "Did you check the rest of the apartment?" She spun to look at him with a somewhat frenzied look and realized that yes, she clearly had and was now nearing the end of her rope. "Oh. It's not like Sora's a real cat though. He'll be fine."

She blurted out almost hysterically, "This is my room! I was naked! What if he saw something he didn't mean to!?"

Riku winced with a slight flush, "Oh. Well, uh…" He started to back out, "I'll go make some ramen for lunch?"

Ava gave him a scathingly annoyed look before ignoring him and slid open her closet door. She started shoving and moving clothing around and froze when she finally found him. He was huddled into a tight ball in the furthest corner with his head shoved tight against the wall and his face buried. He looked so stressed out, with his fur still rather puffed out and a general air of do not touch or approach me!

Riku watched her attentively when she froze, watching as her expression went through a myriad of emotions.

Ava's heart broke at the sight of him and she called out gently, "Sora?"

He growled and his fur puffed up again as he tried to curl up tighter.

Ava sighed softly as she settled on her legs and knees with her hands on her lap, "...Sora. Are you okay?"

His muffled voice was sulky and pained, "No."

Ava slumped, "...What happened, Sora. I can't help you if you don't tell me why you're so upset." She didn't care if he saw anything now.

"...Riku laughed at me."

Riku straightened up, "You startled me! I didn't expect to see a cat with glowing blue eyes like that in the dark!"

Sora shut him out and grumbled with a low feline whine.

Ava frowned. He'd stated the night before that Riku would tease him… but there was something else going on here.

Something else was bothering Sora.

"Sora… if I pick you up, will you claw me or struggle?"

Sora was silent for a moment before his body relaxed just a little bit. "...No."

Ava nodded and gently started to pet him, settling his frayed nerves as she slowly coaxed his tiny form out of that small little ball. Finally she gently pulled him upwards and settled him in her arms faced away from the door as she pushed herself onto her feet. She moved over to the edge of her bed and sat down and settled him into her lap while still holding him. She gently placed a hand on his head and gently ran her fingers through the fur there, "Why are you sad?"

Sora's feline body language was full of warning signals of wanting to be left alone. Yet, ever so slowly he relented and relaxed into her and her gentle affection. "...I don't like it."

"Like what?"

Sora was quiet, "Being laughed at."

Ava tilted her head, "Who was laughing at you?"

Sora was silent, and Riku moved away from the door to lean against the wall with his arms crossed. He should have known better. He and Sora had grown up together, and it was one thing to tease one another on an occasion. He didn't realize they'd gone too far at some point.

"...Everyone. Can't really blame some of them though. They probably didn't know what else to do, and they were exhausted."

Ava mulled that over for a time before gently prodding, "Tell me about it. What happened?"

"It's kind of more than that though! Now that things are like this… now that I might have to really start over from scratch again… I wonder why, or even how I was ever chosen by the Keyblade."

Ava frowned, "Keyblades are willful things, Sora. If you weren't worthy of it, you wouldn't have one."

Sora was quiet again, "Still. I was never bequeathed or whatever. I didn't know about them at all and then, when our Islands were falling… it came to me."

Ava's eyebrows raised in surprise, "When you said you had no background for Wielding, I didn't realize just how literally you meant it."

Sora nodded slightly, "I didn't remember it at the time… but even then, Ventus's Heart was Sleeping in mine… and I can't help but sometimes wonder if it was because of him that the Keyblade chose me."

Ava stopped running her fingers over his head and simply laid it on her lap, "Sora. You're definitely worthy of the Keyblade. It did choose you."

"Not first."

Ava's brows furrowed, "There isn't a "first" when it comes to Keyblades."

Sora was silent, "It's… complicated. But Riku was able to take it from me. For a little bit."

Ava was surprised. "...How did he do that? Keyblade normally don't change Wielders like that." They normally had to literally and willingly be handed over to do that.

Sora sighed gustily, "I don't know. We didn't know. We didn't know that there'd been Keyblade Wielders before. Or that there could be more than one. We were convinced by everyone around us who "seemed to know" that there could only be "One Keyblade Master or Hero." It's kinda stupid in retrospect."

Ava sighed softly. So they'd been manipulated by naivete.

"I see."

Sora was quiet again for a while as he collected his thoughts, "I just- Every time I get strong, every time I get to a certain point, I'm thrown right back to being a novice. No Magic abilities. My techniques are stolen from me. I just... I've had to start over from scratch multiple times! I know I said it didn't bother me then, and it still doesn't, but… it's frustrating that I wasn't able to become a Keyblade Master like Riku so I could help sooner. So I could've woken up Ventus within my Heart faster, and maybe found Master Aqua before she started being eaten up by the darkness…"

Ava tensed a little as he continued to lament, "I kept being influenced by Ven slowly waking up, y'know? I would hear Master Aqua's name and suddenly be crushed at the thought that she'd been alone for years in the Realm of Darkness without having any idea why I cared so much! My chest would just Hurt and I'd desperately want to just run outside to find her, to be by her side to lift her up from her burdens! I just… I kept feeling Ven's desperation, and everyone would just laugh at me, or tease me, and tell me I had to wait until I regained the Power of Waking…"

"But it was always there!" Sora was ready to cry at this point, "The Power was there the whole time! When Ventus finally Woke up enough to talk to me, to set him free- He told me I never lost it! But it was just so hard for me to use! And then I ended up using it the wrong way and broke some World Taboo's I didn't even know about while our enemy chided me about using it and pretty much had the last laugh! I-!" He gasped suddenly, as the desire to cry out and weep overtook him as his emotions peaked, only to drop into quiet exhaustion, "I was just trying to save my friends."

Ava closed her eyes as she bowed her head.

She had read the Book of Prophecies of course. Ignoring the Missing Page, she knew of a singular possibility of the path for the future. The Trials they'd faced. But what Sora had finally accomplished… of course it wasn't there. It was beyond what The Master of Masters had been able to see.

A brighter future she had desperately hoped for. An act of defiance of the linear path her Master had placed all of them on. A path he had wanted to overcome.

Had that small change done anything for them? She didn't know. She may never know for sure.

But she had Hoped.

And now, Sora was crushed by the victory he'd so narrowly won.

"You talked about becoming a Keyblade Master. Was there some sort of test?"

Sora nodded glumly, "Yeah. I got dragged into the deep darkness of Sleep and lost my powers because of Xehanort hijacking it."

Ava blinked, "...Oh. But you were given another chance, right?"

Sora just felt horrible, "No."

Ava paused, "...No?"

"Nope. Took some time for myself to kind of deal with my losses and... some other stuff I don't wanna talk about. Came back. Got sent right back out to try and regain my Powers and the Power of Waking. Wasn't even considered before the Second Keyblade War."

Ava was… confused. What Sora was saying didn't line up with his Rank. What sort of madness had occurred that one would send out a Novice Apprentice who's abilities kept being stolen away? No Wielder had suffered such a thing. She somehow knew it, deep down, that no one else had been forced to begin from the start so many times.

But the one thing that bothered her the most about it was how he didn't know.

"...Sora. I don't really know what happened in full, or why… But who told you you weren't a Master?"

Sora tilted his head. He was now confused. "...What's that mean?" He looked up to her baffled, "I never retook the Mark of Mastery exam. Of course I'm not a Master yet- might never be one either at this rate."

Riku felt bad and was also confused as he glanced in her direction from outside of her room. What was she saying?

Ava placed her hand lightly on his back, "You've been a Master this whole time." Riku pushed away from the wall and looked at her from the door astonished and confused.

Sora stood from her lap and took a step backwards onto her bed, "Huh?! That's not possible!"

Ava tilted her head confused, "But I can feel it. You've achieved the Rank of Master. I wouldn't know when, but you have it. I don't know how things changed along the way, or how this "Mark" is determined. But part of why I went out to find you and observed you for so long before approaching was because I could feel that you were a Master. I kind of wondered that if you were from a similar Reality to my own, that we could find a way to create a path to return. Asking you to fight with me against the Gigas wasn't really intended this way, but I used it as a benchmark of your strength."

Sora was gaping up at her, and Riku was pursing his lips before he spoke. "Master Ava, I don't mean any disrespect, but-"

Ava met his eyes with a sharp look that made him pause. She gently finished moving Sora off of her lap and stood tall with her head held high. "I'm not a strong Master by any means. I have a small build, and I have the disadvantage of being a woman, but that has never been a roadblock in my Master's eyes. Have I come to question his motivations and methods? Of course. But I will not be disrespected. Not by a young man who knows nothing." And suddenly there was pressure in the room. The sort of Authority that came with having Power.

Riku knew this kind of pressure- Maleficent had had plenty of it when they'd first crossed paths. He'd eventually become accustomed to it and felt less threatened over time. Then there was Mickey- He hadn't done anything like this. He'd always been gentle and understanding, which was what he'd needed for the better part of that terrible year Sora had been Asleep.

But Xehanort had carried a different sort of Authority, one that he'd bucked against due to sensing its familiarity. It was a darkness to be defied, and defy it they did.

However, they did not Know this level of Authority. The Authority to magnetize others to your beat. To Lead them into whatever battle they might face.

Ava had seen the first Keyblade War. The battles that broke and ended the lives of so many Wielders. They were ignorant to the treachery of it- how young and similarly aged to themselves that all of the fallen had been. Yen Sid told them nothing. There were simply hints and vague monologues from various sources.

They had no way of Knowing or Understanding this pressure and pull.

Ava relented, and suddenly it was as though it was never there and she wavered. She cautiously sat down back onto her bed exhausted and tired, "I apologize. I've rarely ever done that, but you must understand. There is a lot that goes into being a Master, and charisma holds a great deal of sway in it."

Ava smiled tiredly at Sora, "I was made a Master at the age of thirteen. I'm seventeen now, but it really doesn't get any easier to lead others. You will always be judged and scrutinized for your actions." She sighed and leaned back onto her palms, "There is no doubt in my mind that you're a Master. Someone awoke that Authority within you. Masters can do that, whether you're aware of it or not." She shrugged one shoulder, "Even if you have to begin again, I'll be sure to teach you this time."

Sora's eyes widened, "W-wait, you'd do that for me? Even though I broke World Law?"

Ava nodded, "Yes, though… I really do need you to go through everything you've been through." She glanced between him and Riku, "You and your friends. Tell me everything." She stood and picked Sora up. He made a surprised noise as she brought him into the main room and set him on the couch before closing her room door. She turned to Riku, "Well. Since you've been there the whole time, why don't you freshen up and we can begin to discuss things over lunch."

Riku nodded numbly and went to begin his daily morning routine as Sora changed back into a human dizzily for a moment before helping Ava with lunch.

There was a lot of material to cover, but they would do so so that Ava could fully understand their side of things.

The three of them spoke late into the night and over the period of a few days. On the third morning, Ava was ready for Riku to lead them home with Sora kept in his cat form for now.

But first, Ava had to report to Yozora that they would be leaving. Whether it was temporarily or permanent, she needed to inform someone of governmental authority that her services would no longer be available. Arrangements were made, and they went to the meeting place.

There waiting for them was Lodur by himself, a slight smirk on his face as well as a relaxed posture.

Lady Luck was by his side.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Vanitas lazily twirled his wand between his fingers while laying on his back, boredly watching it dance in his grasp. It had originally been a rather simple thing, but he'd slowly managed to personalize it. It hadn't been easy to get the wand to change, but it slowly seemed to like his mischievous streak enough to reflect his colors and was now black with red colored engravings throughout. It was rather cool in his opinion, and the wand preened when it sensed his appreciation for it.

It had a tendency to reward naughty behavior when he praised it.

The two decimated mountainsides and burned up forests in the distance that cleared up the horizon was a reflection of such affections for his brand of mischief. Merlin could repair the World as many times as he wanted, so it really didn't hurt anyone or anything to relieve his stressful need for destruction.

Because that hunger still lived and prowled within him.

Certainly his destructive needs had been thoroughly curbed by Merlin's brand of training and discipline, as well as the fact that the Wizard had sealed off his darkness. He appreciated and hated that in equal measure, as he wasn't prone to vomiting darkness once or more times a day. However, there were days he missed being able to relieve himself of his emotions, to just shuck them off and let them run wild by their own volition.

But their birth and destruction pained him to such a degree that it just wasn't worth it anymore now that he had experienced life without constant agonizing pain. The times of feeling empty, that feeling of refreshing relief would no longer come to him and he knew it.

Vanitas couldn't imagine living like that anymore. Sure, it was annoying to have his emotions all bottled up within the container he called his body, but that was how all other creatures lived. It just got exhausting at times to be stuck in one solid shape.

The vague remnants of feeling free, unencumbered by touch and flesh were fleeting, but caused a bone deep ache within him, when he wished he could just be nothing.

Vanitas sighed tiredly, closing his eyes as he laid his arm over them to shield them while gripping his wand awkwardly.

He knew the four new guests had decided to extend their stay, as he sensed worry for him creep into each of them as the days of his preferred isolation dragged on.

It was weird, having so many people concerned for his well being.

Merlin was now understandable to him as his guardian, and Naminé was too as his…

Vanitas frowned. What the heck was she?

A therapist?

A friend?

He clenched his teeth in annoyance.

Slowly gaining positive relationships with people was weird. It was a new experience and he just didn't know what to do with any of it. He wanted to be close with them, to draw ever nearer, yet he didn't want them to even look his way.

He'd rather be ignored.

But then the loneliness from the Keyblade Graveyard would rise up within him, his years of forced isolation under Xehanort's thumb and suddenly the large World around him would become too small and constrained.

Touch was too much, but so was lack of contact.

Vanitas groaned in frustration. His opposing behaviors grated at him and made his chest and stomach hurt.

He rolled onto his side and laid his head in the crook of an arm as he stared at the horizon.

Roxas watched him with suspicion, but that was fine. Smart really, as the others had become too docile towards him.

Roxas had the brains and instincts the others lacked.

Kairi was just awkward to deal with. Between her clear desire to be his friend while trying to be courteous of the fact that her Light hurt him… He should've just kept his mouth shut about it. She was simply too aware of him, and his appearance and connection with Sora made her even more hesitant. She didn't want to compare them, so she ended up as a whirlpool of mixed emotions he had to ignore.

Naminé was blatant. Not on the outside of course, but they had a long standing understanding at this point and he was accustomed to her various emotional states.

Xion was always watching him with a mixture of guilt, hesitation, and childlike hope that they could be friends.

It made him shiver sometimes, how she would simply watch him and somehow feel bad about something, like she could've actually done something for him.

She'd barely been able to talk while she was Xehanort's pawn! He didn't blame her at all for inability to help him!

And then there was finally Ventus.

Poor, poor Ventus.

How could he even begin on that one?

Sure he could be cordial with his brother, but there was always electricity in his veins when he saw him. The idiot's unnatural Light always clawed at him. Ventus was smart enough to be cautious with him, but he'd prod him gently for simple conversation.

Safe conversation.

It was so fucking exhausting to deal with them.

Sora was so much easier to deal with, despite the annoyances of feeling his emotions bleed into him at times.

"...Vanitas?"

The Darkling twitched, and he sighed silently as he rolled over to look at Naminé in slight annoyance.

He was brooding. He didn't want to be prodded.

She observed him silently for a moment, hesitant, before she carefully moved over to him and sat nearby.

Almost out of reach, but close enough.

Naminé pulled her legs close to herself as she clasped her hands over her knees and laid her chin on them while looking over to him, "Have you heard anything from Sora?"

Vanitas shifted and sat up while crossing his legs to face the horizon. He leaned back on his palms with a slouch, "It's been a few days."

Naminé frowned, "...Do you think he's alright?"

Vanitas was silent in thought for a moment, "Well. I think he's feeling better than he was, but he's got a buzz of awkward nervousness that won't leave. It's a pain to feel, as if some part of me has fallen asleep like a limb."

Naminé raised her eyebrow before nodding slightly, "I see." She sat up slightly with a breath and stared up at the sky, "I think he'll come home soon."

Vanitas looked at her curiously, "You think so?"

Naminé smiled. "Kairi and Xion think so too. Roxas won't say it, but I think he's having Dreams like we are."

Vanitas blinked, "Dreams?" He leaned forward and gripped his crossed ankles. Now his curiosity was piqued.

Naminé looked at him, "I know you're normally the one who gets them, but it almost feels like now that we've connected to you, your connection to Sora is slowly piecing back together our own connections to him."

Vanitas frowned, "...Are you saying something severed Sora's connections to his friends?"

Naminé hummed in thought, "Maybe? It's difficult to tell without him here, but if he does come back, I'll be able to rebuild the chains that fell very quickly because of you."

Vanitas wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Naminé watched him for a moment as she took in his response to that information, "Well. It's not as if your presence in our lives is only as good as your connection to Sora."

Vanitas gave her a sneering smile, "But it's blatantly related."

Naminé shrugged helplessly, "Is that offensive? Call me heartless but I'm still learning how to be a better human, too."

Vanitas blinked as his annoyance fell away.

Right.

He was surrounded by 2-but-also-sixteen year olds who started out being told they didn't have Hearts.

They were just as fucked up as he was in their own way. They just turned towards the Light.

The two of them were silent for a while before Naminé began to watch him. Cautiously she moved closer to him and he immediately began to watch her. Her face didn't give anything away, and her more expressive emotions turned to still water.

What was she doing?

Naminé slowly gave him a small smile, "Can I lean against you?"

Vanitas gave her a suspicious look, "Why?"

Naminé hummed, "Well. Sometimes we lean against one another as a form of comfort and companionship. It was a little confusing at first, but Kairi kind of got us used to it, and I enjoy hanging out with you."

Vanitas blinked. She actually liked hanging out with him?

He felt his annoyance become tangled into a confused mesh of unexplainable feelings and thoughts that he shoved aside.

Vanitas looked to the side in thought before huffing at himself and relenting. "Fine, I guess." She'd asked, and it probably wouldn't be smothering.

Probably.

Naminé smiled, "Thank you." She finished scooting closer to him, and she was within centimeters of him before she leaned against him.

He had to shift slightly to take her weight and leaned back instinctively. This wasn't really the first time they'd been close like this, but something changed this time. There were vague Memories and feelings related to this from Sora.

Somehow the horizon became a sea at sunset as it glittered along the surface. The feelings of childish joy and love overwhelmed him, and he felt as if someone else was with him at their side.

A vague apparition, as Naminé and this other thing filled the gap of what Sora's Memories were showing him.

Or was it the girl beside him that gave him this vision?

He swallowed dryly, not daring to ask and break the serenity Naminé had fallen into for his sake.

Because it was obviously not the way she truly felt, however, she was more than well aware of his sensitivity to the emotions of those around him.

He'd never thought himself as empathetic before, but it was clear that it was an ability he'd always had.

How else could he sense the various forms of negativity in other people, and destroy that which gave them joy so easily?

Naminé leaned her head against his shoulder, and he clenched his ankle to alleviate his confusion.

"Vanitas… what do you want to do in the future?"

Vanitas furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

Naminé hummed and mulled over her thoughts for a moment, "Do you only want to be a Keyblade Wielder, or do you want to learn a craft?"

Vanitas lifted his wand for her to see, "I'm already learning a Craft."

Naminé glanced at it before snorting, "That's not what I mean. That goes along with Wielding, I think."

Vanitas fought with himself as he put away his wand.

He knew Terra carved wood for various reasons. He also knew that Aqua enjoyed baking.

He didn't filter himself, "What do you do other than draw?"

Naminé smiled to herself, "Well. I'm trying to learn in school, just like Roxas and Xion. I also want to get stronger, but I know I just don't have the physical aptitude for it."

Vanitas tilted his head slightly, "Why not ask Merlin to teach you Magic?" Naminé shifted to glance at him better with a surprised look as he glanced at her, "You already have spiritual abilities. You could hone them and maybe manifest different forms of Magic. I mean, you might not be good with offensive Magic like the majority of us, but I'll never be any good at Healing, or recovering from Status Effects. It's just not in my nature. I can manage a Cure now, but it takes all of my… Mana? To do that. It actually kind of itches, like I'm allergic to it."

Naminé blinked, surprised, but slowly nodded, "I guess that makes sense." She was quiet for a moment, "I know Merlin's been teaching you how to use your Magic based abilities without darkness, but do you think he'll let you go back to that?"

Vanitas pursed his lips as he stared outward, "He will. One day he'll start to loosen his binding, and he'll teach me the right way to harness it so I won't hurt myself anymore." He made a disgruntled face, "Though he said I might have to take a few lessons from Riku, since he actively uses darkness without hurting himself." That annoyed him.

Naminé giggled lightly and somehow managed to press closer to him, and it was beginning to jumble his thoughts.

Suddenly Vanitas felt an aching silent desire from her, one she had always been very good at burying.

It snapped him into clarity and he shifted, causing her to lose her balance and fall over in surprise before he leaned over her and pressed her shoulder down while looming over her. His voice was strained in an attempt to not yell at her. "What do you want, Naminé?" Naminé was staring up at him in frozen shock with a trickle of fear and hesitant trust.

Vanitas observed her, but she refused to answer him. He sneered as he spoke so lowly he was almost growling, "You're so good at weeding out what others need, but what about you? What is it that you want? What do you desire?"

Naminé swallowed and answered with a strained voice, "I can't tell you that."

Vanitas glared at her before mockingly grinning, "Yes you can. You just don't want to voice it. C'mon now, I can't do the things I used to with desires. Tell me."

Naminé had kept her thoughts to herself for so long! Sure, she had dropped pieces of information here and there to the girls, but she never allowed anyone to truly worry about her.

To let them in.

She felt Vanitas put more pressure on her shoulder, but he wasn't hurting her.

He was still being careful of how blatantly more powerful he was compared to her tiny strength.

She took in a hesitant breath, "I've never told anyone, you know." Tears immediately began to build up in her eyes. She hated it. She didn't like being vulnerable, not after her time in Castle Oblivion. She cautiously reached up with one shaking hand and gently touched his cheek. "I didn't know it back then, when I was still a prisoner of those white walls. Of their orders and goals. I was so focused on the bad things I was being forced to do to Sora and how to fix them, how to be free, that I didn't realize my heart had begun to deviate in a different direction."

Naminé took in a shuddering breath as she tried so hard to keep from weeping. Just to keep speaking, "Maybe that's why I reached out to the Real Riku. How I came to trust and believe in him so much when I shouldn't have had any personal reason to do so…" Tears began to slide down the side of her face as her hand fell away from his cheek, "But the Replica of Riku, who's Memories I completely fabricated to manipulate him into protecting me wholeheartedly. How can I ever be forgiven for doing that to him, while also slowly falling in love with nothing but the lie I'd made?"

Vanitas observed her. He didn't know what sort of expression he was making, or if he even was. However, he could feel the depth of her distress, the longing and loneliness and a wish for the lost that could never be granted.

The wish to apologize for fabricating that Riku's existence, and to thank him.

That's what confused him.

He relieved the pressure he'd placed on her shoulder and tilted his head slightly. "...There's something else." He gently wiped away her tears with his now free hand while he murmured, "You've been wanting to ask me something."

Naminé sniffed, hesitating before begrudgingly going for it. Her voice was terribly weak, and she hated her own weaknesses. "...Did you ever talk to him... in the Real Organization XIII?"

Vanitas blinked, "That's it?"

Naminé nodded numbly as she pulled her arms to her chest, her fists balled defensively, "Yes."

Vanitas felt a small amount of disappointment, "Not much. Just a little."

Naminé prodded him, "What about?"

Vanitas shifted and Naminé moved her arms to accommodate him relaxing onto his elbows and leaning onto her chest. The situation they were now in was even weirder than before, and Naminé was slightly confused on how and why things had happened this way.

Not like Vanitas would understand his own actions well later either, since it seemed he just did things without thinking.

A very Sora thing to do, really.

"He clearly had his own goals and plans. The ones in charge seemed to enjoy his little schemes, but I felt like something was off about it. Didn't really care, but it was still weird. He thought it was weird I hid my face all the time."

Vanitas was silent for a long hesitant moment, "The last time he saw me, he asked me why I sounded like Sora, and if I had something to do with him. He was so… angry about it, I suppose. I didn't feel like answering, didn't have much of one. I just shrugged and left."

Naminé sniffed, "There was a part of him that ended up with Riku… and he left behind the Replica his Heart from the past had been using." She closed her eyes, "He gave up everything for me. Even the chance to come back."

Vanitas couldn't understand it. That level of sacrifice. But now he somewhat understood her distress. Her regret.

He wanted to do something, so eat that pain and take it away. Yet, somehow the method of how to do so while in their present position caused a ricochet effect within him. Lean forward or pull back? He was wrapped up in some sort of mood he couldn't quite distinguish, and this seemed to constantly be happening with her.

He was dangerous, and she was too vulnerable to stop him.

He pushed himself up and pulled away from her. He brought his legs close to his chest and wrapped his arms around them while gripping his elbows.

Was this how teenagers were, or was this a human thing?

It was aggravatingly confusing.

"...Sorry."

Naminé pushed herself back into a proper sitting position and bent her knees, leaning forward onto them while looking at him, "About what?"

Vanitas felt his face turn warm and knew he was blushing. He turned his face away from her so she wouldn't see his embarrassment and frustration, "Pushing you down."

Naminé blinked before covering her mouth with a cut off snort. She snickered silently to herself as she tried to quickly regain control, "Vanitas, I was surprised, but I think this is just part of trying to figure ourselves out."

Vanitas slumped slightly with a frown. His ears even felt warm! "I could very easily do something to you that you wouldn't want, and you'd never be able to stop me. I might not even care."

Naminé sighed softly as her mirth faded, "I know that." She clasped her hands under her knees and leaned back to look upwards at the sky, "I know that." Her chest felt tight and her spirit dampened, "I just… I keep trying to find my place with everyone… and I can't help but feel separate. Accepted and loved certainly… but like I just can't slot myself in."

Vanitas could understand that. He smirked slightly as he turned partially towards her, "I completely understand that feeling."

Naminé looked at him, and she couldn't help but slightly smile at him, despite the helplessness she felt, "Do you think there's a reason why we keep ending up in oddly intimate positions?"

Vanitas felt his eye twitch. He didn't want to examine that!

But he had to. If he didn't, this would keep happening and then he'd do something stupid and ruin their friendship.

Because he knew he liked her the most of all of the others. She knew how to be cautious with him, as well as push him.

She was very good at balancing him. He had to admit that to himself.

Vanitas took in a deep cleansing breath before exhaling his thoughts on the subject. "I guess you're kind of like an ornately decorated white wedding cake." Naminé's face went blank in confusion at this analogy he was spinning as he continued to explain himself. "However, the only problem is that somewhere in it is a slice of same-colored poisonous cake. It's irresistible because of how immaculate it is- you just want to cut right in and taste it. But will that bite be delicious, or will it be the kiss of death with beautiful wrappings?"

Vanitas slumped slightly to the side as he turned his gaze to the grass, "But for me, that poison wouldn't kill me. It sustains me." He tilted his head to the side in thought. "You have a lot of Light. It's comparable to the Light of a Princess of Heart. Makes sense since you are mostly Kairi's Nobody." Naminé was watching him with curious fascination due to his explanation. "But you're not, so you have all of this Light, and a lovely pocket of darkness that keeps pulling at me. It's a sweet nectar surrounded by vicious thorns."

Naminé blinked, "So you keep getting pulled in by my darkness?"

Vanitas shrugged, "I guess." He gave her an irritated look, "But don't go thinking you have some crazy well of darkness building. It's just normal average everyday darkness that all things are normally born with. Except for freakish exceptions like Ventus and the Princesses."

Naminé felt somewhat put out, "Vanitas."

Vanitas gave her annoyed look, "What?! It's true!"

Naminé shook her head as she slowly became saddened by her thoughts. "You said Light hurts you. Does that mean I cause you pain as well?"

Vanitas took in a deep breath before exhaling calmly as he looked her in the eyes, "Nah. Your Light stopped bothering me a long time ago. It's gentle in the same way you are." He broke eye contact and pushed himself up onto his feet. "I'm guessing you came here to get me to come out. I suppose you've accomplished your goal." He dusted himself off before turning to her as he held out his hand. "Let's go see the others."

Naminé was dazzled. She didn't know how or why she kept finding him charming, but it made her heart flutter and chest hurt all the same.

She took his hand.