Trash Woke

by YumeTakato

I Woke Up In The Trash And Got Adopted By The Local Trio. (A Vanitas centric fic that's evolved well beyond its initial concept and dragged in Ventus and Sora as key characters.) [NO PAIRINGS][I Lied, because the characters write themselves.] [Slow burn/minor ships]

24. To Confess and Concede

I didn't mean to stop writing for nearly a solid month, but a lot of work-stuff happened 'cause we're short staffed and I was given an impossible task. I reread the story to refresh where I left off. I won't be able to write as much anymore since I'm leaving the job that allowed me to write usually, and am now going full-time at my other part-time, so… yeah. I gotta get used to writing at home again. X_x0

There are a lot of cuts/short pieces and I had to rearrange parts of the chapter like, three or four times... so this is how the chapter ended up.

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

The closer it got to dinner time, the quieter Vanitas became. He withdrew more, and slowly Xion realized it was because they would have to return home.

They would have to use a Dark Corridor.

Xion bit the inside of her cheek in concern, as she tried to figure out how to broach the topic with someone else… Because really, it wasn't her place to talk about Vanitas's business- but they also needed to get home without worrying the others. She just had the misfortune of… not really getting the hang of using Light Corridors.

She was also silently afraid so much Light would hurt him.

Kairi wandered up beside her and gently nudged her with her hip, "What's up Xion?"

Xion gave her a sad and lost look, "I don't really know how to help."

Kairi raised an eyebrow, "With what?"

Xion looked away from her and nibbled on her lower lip nervously. She fidgeted before sighing silently, "I don't know how we're gonna get back home."

Kairi blinked, "What's wrong with the Dark Corridors?"

Xion swallowed, looked around the vast hall she'd been wandering down, and moved close to speak softly, "Don't tell anyone?" Kairi nodded, "I think the darkness was trying to eat Vanitas on the way here." She pulled back and Kairi looked at her with wide eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Xion shuffled, "It's just… he started to seem almost sick and blind while coming here. It didn't happen immediately, but suddenly he was too hot and too cold all at once and his eyes were vacant. I… I don't think he can go through Dark Corridors anymore. The darkness wants to… I don't know. Take him back?"

Kairi didn't know what to make of that information, and she certainly couldn't ask the source. "...Oh… and after dinner you're gonna be going back to Twilight Town…"

Xion nodded.

Kairi held her chin and thought over the information she'd been given while taking Xion's hand. She pulled her along and they walked in quiet silence down the long hallway. She mumbled, "A Light Corridor would be harsh for him, too, wouldn't it?"

Xion nodded morosely, "That's what I was thinking…"

Kairi hummed, "We could see if Donald and Goofy would be willing to pick you two up."

Xion shook her head, "I think he's too proud for that."

Kairi thought as much herself and nodded, "Yeah, unfortunately." She tilted her head, "How'd he get back last time from Destiny Islands?"

Xion pursed her lips, "I- I don't really remember, honestly."

Kairi huffed and dropped her free hand, "Well. I guess we'll have to ask him about his options then."

Xion stared at her in nervous surprise, "But-"

Kairi smiled at her, "Gotta figure out what to do about it sometime, right?"

Xion bowed her head before agreeing with her, "...Yeah."

Soon enough they were all sitting tensely at the dinner table, food spread and tableware set. Vanitas was eating silently, almost robotically and Terra could only raise his eyebrow pointedly between him and Ventus. Ventus shrugged helplessly, and Aqua was watching the Darkling in concern, "...Are you alright Vanitas?"

Vanitas paused mid-chew before finishing his bite. "Yes."

Ventus wanted to prod him- he could feel the anxiety in his chest as if it were his own, and Xion was starting to get a weird look on her face.

Xion clenched her fist in front of her chest before quietly stating, "Vanitas, I can feel what you're feeling too- you should just tell them."

Ventus blinked, he'd forgotten that Xion had also been the recipient of their collective Memories. Why they hadn't thought that she'd been similarly affected by the abrupt bond between brothers was foolish when she'd suffered the same pull of Memory.

Vanitas set his fork down and wondered if he'd be able to eat anything else that night. "...I-" His hesitance was concerning. He usually would either say something outright, or nothing at all. Yet, he slumped with a grimace on his face as he confessed, "I can't go through Dark Corridors anymore."

Aqua froze, "Huh?"

Terra frowned, "But you're a being of Darkness."

Vanitas threw his hands up in frustration, "I know that! You think I don't know that?! I know it so well it hurts!" He seethed, "That's why it's so grating that it wants to eat me alive! To sink into my pores and just-!" He flailed internally for a moment as he tried to articulate what it was he was dealing with before slamming his fists on the table, "I don't like the way darkness tries to invade my body when I go through a Corridor, okay?! It's so loud!"

Terra's eyes widened, and the others were similarly baffled. Vanitas grabbed at his hair in almost frenzied frustration, "The Dark was my home! My comfort, and now it's like-" He slumped, "Like I'm not welcome anymore."

Aqua felt… sympathy for him. She hadn't felt quite right in the Realm of Light- was still adjusting to being in the Realm of Light after desiring for long to be free of the Realm of Darkness.

Yet she felt a strange longing for that horrible Realm that had been her prison and home for too long.

It was a horrible feeling to have.

Ventus hesitantly prodded, "Do you… do you think it would hurt for you to use a Light Corridor?"

Vanitas was quiet while Terra tilted his head, "Why not a Gummi ship?"

Vanitas swallowed before speaking hoarsely, "I'll risk the Light Corridor. I can handle the pain if it comes." The frowns and concern were immediate, but he looked between all of them, his skin clammy once again in nervousness. "I don't want the darkness to cloy at me like that again. It's pervasive, and sultry. I don't like it. I… I also need to know what it's like- to walk through a Light Corridor."

Xion observed him from across the table, hands clasped over her chest as she nodded, "I'll be with you."

Vanitas glanced at her and slowly nodded with an awkward smile, "Yeah."

Kairi smiled, "I'll go too!" Vanitas looked at her and she grinned, "Riku and Sora are in Twilight Town right now, right?" The Darkling nodded silently, "I have some things to take care of there with them both!"

Vanitas observed her before finding that agreeable, "Alright." He stared at his food for a long moment before he started eating again, and slowly the others resumed their own meals.

After dinner, Ventus pulled Vanitas aside and clasped his hands to look him over in concern.

Vanitas stared at him in tired annoyance, "What."

Ventus breathed silently in frustration, "Are you really alright?"

Vanitas looked Ventus's face over, his eyes not staying in one place for very long before looking away, "No."

Ventus frowned. He didn't know what to do for his Other in this situation as he lightly tugged on him. "...Vanitas." The Darkling looked his way from the corner of his eyes, "It might be inevitable, but I don't want you hurt." Vanitas turned to properly face him again in silence as he continued, "You've changed a lot, but I still haven't had enough of a chance to get to know you, y'know?"

Vanitas nodded slowly, "Yeah."

Ventus was silent for a moment before Vanitas exhaled quietly, "I was always jealous of your happiness, Ventus. So loved and accepted while all I got was agony for existing, and contempt for not being strong enough." Ventus's eyes dimmed, but Vanitas continued. "I've slowly let those bitter feelings go, as I've gained little pieces of myself back. Now that it no longer hurts to be alive… I'm… I'm happier with myself, I guess."

Ventus nodded slowly, "I see."

Vanitas searched him, silently imploring as Ventus became slightly confused before Vanitas huffed, "I- can I… I don't really deserve it, but… Can I call you Ven?"

Ventus's eyes widened and a small smile lit up his face, "Y-of course you can call me Ven!" He grinned, overjoyed for something so simple, "I'd love for you to call me that! I-" He tried to reign himself back as he tightened his hold of Vanitas's hands, "I'd like for you to be my friend."

Vanitas smiled awkwardly before looking to the side in thought for a moment before retracing his gaze, as violet met blue. "...Then… until everyone else knows… in private, would you call me Vista?"

Ventus's eyes became brighter, in both wonder and confusion, "...Vista?"

Vista nodded, "It's the new name I was given, but I-" Ventus abruptly hugged him tightly with misty eyes and a laugh as Vista grunted in annoyed confusion, "Hey-!"

Ventus ignored him, "So that's what that feeling was! I'd felt it back then- something happened and changed who you once were, and that weird itch in between my shoulder blades lately! It was you with those feelings! I'm so happy for you, Vista!"

Vista blushed lightly, disgruntled as he awkwardly patted Ventus's back, "Uh- thanks. Now get off."

Ventus snickered wetly as he sniffed and pulled back enough to hold his Other's hands again with a nod. He gave Vista a warm look, "I hope we can all call you that soon- but I guess you're also saying goodbye to the old you each time you let someone in, right?"

Vista paused at that thought and wondered at it. He mulled it over in his mind and slowly nodded, "...Yeah, I guess so." He was saying goodbye to the old him, to Vanitas.

The person he used to be, the empty shell of a being who could only experience hurt and hate and harm others.

He had learned to embrace and love instead.

Ventus pulled his face into his shoulder and Vista tensed against him, realizing belatedly that tears were falling down his face, "Uh?"

Ventus patted him on the back gently, "It's hard to realize you're changing sometimes. It's like realizing you aren't a kid anymore, and you have to be responsible in ways you didn't used to."

Vista slowly relaxed with a small nod as he understood the point from a more distant point of view, "...Yeah, I guess."

They stood there for a moment, as Vista fully accepted why he hadn't just gotten this whole thing over with and told everyone what he'd wanted to be called. He was grieving his past self in a slow death of separation.

Because he didn't hate the old him- not really. Sure, there were a lot of bad things, but they were what had made him, him.

But now...

To have peace.

Yes.

This was simply a part of the path towards having a peace he never would have known he'd needed when this all started.

He didn't regret a single moment of it.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Vista stared at the Light Corridor Ventus and Kairi had created before them and swallowed. His skin itched and crawled with static, "Uhm, y'know what? Maybe I should just spend the night!" He felt hysterical laughter creeping in the back of his throat, "Yeah! That seems like-"

Terra clamped his hands onto his shoulders, "No."

Vista froze in terror while Ventus skipped over and tapped Terra's hands off of his stiff brother, "It'll be okay, Kairi, Xion, and I will be with you."

Vista side eyed Ventus with wide eyes and a muffled scream bubbled up from the back of his throat.

Ventus gave him a sympathetic look while Xion came up to Vista's right side and held his arm close to her chest to grab his attention. They looked at one another in silence for a long moment, and slowly Vista eased into mild panic instead of hedging a breakdown, "I don't like it."

Ventus nodded absently, "Didn't think you would."

Xion smiled uneasily at him, and Vista knew he'd be the dead weight of the group. He hated it, but he knew that's how it'd go.

Kairi stood, glancing between the corridor and Vista, "Uhm, we should probably go before this closes."

Ventus looked to her and nodded before he took Vista's hand and gently tugged him along.

Vista grit his teeth and clenched his eyes, ducking into himself as if he were about to get punched in the face. He barely heard Aqua wish them a safe trip when everything became quiet.

The Path around them was silent as they walked, and he felt Xion's Light of ice blue warmth on his right and Ventus's soft green Light on his left. He sensed Kairi ahead of him with her pink-colored Light.

And found himself easing into the brightness.

It was blinding there, but the air around him was cool like a Spring day when flowers were coming into bloom after a long winter. He felt more than he could describe as he sensed more than those around him probably ever could. All of the nuances and differences between the Shade of the Deep and the Embrace of the Gleam.

He opened his eyes and it hurt as the others were in sharp painful focus, almost looking unreal against the vibrance and faint shift in colors around them.

And then in a mere step they were surrounded by the familiar sights, smells, and colors of Twilight Town.

Vista felt a horrible sense of vertigo as his eyes attempted to readjust to the normalcy of it all and let out a gasping breath while he leaned against Xion tiredly.

Ventus turned to him in concern while Kairi watched from close-by.

Xion was silent for a moment, "...Are you alright, Vanitas?"

Vista nodded, "Y-yeah." He exhaled a shaky breath and slowly straightened to stand on his own. He didn't feel clammy or uncomfortable. His skin didn't even itch anymore. For good measure he looked himself over and slowly nodded to himself before looking between the three of them. "I'm alright. Thanks."

Ventus smiled and nodded, "You're welcome. It didn't hurt?"

Vista shook his head in the negative, and Kairi raised an eyebrow, "But it still hurts to be around Ven and I?"

Vista immediately went to nod the affirmative and paused, frowned, and took two simple steps towards the Princess before holding her close in his arms. She made a sound of surprise before she hugged him back, "Uhm..? Vanitas, you could've-"

"It doesn't hurt."

Kairi paused at the disbelief in his voice as she pulled back slightly to look at him. He had a look of confusion mixed with a strange sense of loss on his face as he looked at her. He swallowed thickly, released her, and forcefully opened a Dark Corridor to bypass the wall and abandoned them there.

Xion gasped and went to follow after, but Ventus held her back with an odd look on his face.

Vista wouldn't go far.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Merlin wasn't surprised when Vista Dark Corridored into the kitchen.

What he was surprised about was just how frazzled the Darkling seemed to be.

The young looking Wizard frowned, "...What's wrong, Vista?"

Vista was still, the Dark Corridor simply disappearing behind him as he notably exhaled and stumbled into Merlin's surprised arms, "I had to use a Light Corridor to come back, and it didn't hurt. But the Dark Corridor- it's, it's horrible and cloying with-" He shuddered and buried his face into Merlin's chest with a wounded whine.

Merlin held the teen close, "...Vista."

The Darkling took a weeping breath as he croaked, "The Dark isn't home anymore."

Merlin's eyes softened and he hid Vista within the folds of his sleeves, "I see."

Vista was trying to keep himself collected, but he was falling apart on the inside. Oh, outside he'd never been better, and he hadn't hated the changes he'd undergone once he'd awoken here.

But now this was different. He'd known something fundamental had changed inside, but this was beyond his expectations. Even Children of the Light didn't succumb to the Dark the way he was suddenly now weakening towards his originating element.

Merlin had even loosened his Wards! His Lady was even communing with him in the Dark once more, and yet..!

Was this because of Strelitzia's Heart?

Vista gasped and froze at that thought.

Merlin pulled him back slightly, "Vista?"

He looked up at Merlin lost and swallowed his growing panic, "You can take me to Yen Sid." Vista took a deep and painful breath, "I'll allow you to examine my Heart."

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Kairi'd had a lot on her mind. Questions and worries, simple and big. World changing and not.

Her primary thoughts were on things slightly more trivial, but no less debilitating as she walked through the outer streets of Twilight Town with hands clasped behind her.

She was further up the hills that made this sleepy town, observing so many things from behind as she made her way from what she was familiar with. She paused in her step as she caught sight of Riku walking, somewhat ruffled in a way that meant he'd been training somewhere in the forest nearby. She smiled slightly to herself, "Riku?"

He paused before turning with a smile, "Kairi, hey." He raised an eyebrow, "What're you doing out here?"

Kairi meandered over to him happily, "Just exploring further out."

Riku nodded and hummed as he glanced back towards the forestry, "There are Heartless and Nobodies that pop up further out. Roxas says some of the Dusks should be left alone, though."

Kairi raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Riku shrugged as he gave her his full attention, "They come to him, and they're mostly harmless when following orders from a Nobody of higher rank."

Kairi paused at that and tilted her head, "They still listen to him?"

Riku nodded, "Yup."

"Huh." She shrugged, "I'll keep that in mind, next time I try to go out and train around here."

Riku accepted that and motioned with his hand. She smiled and grasped his left as he rolled his eyes pleasantly before they started walking in step. There was no destination in mind as they enjoyed simply being with one another in the early evening.

Eventually, Kairi spoke up, "Riku?" He hummed in response as she continued, "Were you ever angry with me?"

He stopped and looked at her confused, "About what?"

Kairi waffled for a moment, her head slightly bowed before she looked up at him, "For going to Sleep for a year? For… for wanting to leave the Islands with Sora, if only for a second, without you?"

Riku observed her for a time, taking in her small confession before shrugging helplessly, "You were lying about not remembering anything, too."

Kairi grimaced, "I-! I wasn't trying to lie about not remembering Radiant Garden! I just…" She tried to collect her thoughts, "I couldn't understand what I'd been told… and by the time I thought I understood it, everything was too blurry and indistinct. The Memories were no longer clear…" She looked up at him sadly, "I wasn't trying to be cruel, Riku."

He nodded, "I know."

She chewed on her lip and he sighed softly, lifting her face gently with a kind hand before smoothing his thumb over her reddening skin and got close. She froze and after a moment he pulled back as he tiredly stated, "I wasn't exactly acting like myself back then, either."

Kairi slumped slightly, "Riku you…" She floundered to collect her thoughts, "You were frustrated with Destiny Islands. You wanted to be free."

Riku had accepted his past mistakes, "And I destroyed everything for that so-called freedom."

Kairi closed her eyes and bowed her head for a moment before looking up to him, "And now we're here."

Riku blinked and smirked slightly, "Yeah." He shifted, "I'm sorry about the way I was acting, back then."

Kairi observed him questioningly, "What was going on, if you don't mind me asking?"

Riku made a face, and Kairi slightly regretted asking, but it was too late now.

"I was jealous."

Kairi couldn't help but be surprised, "Why?"

Riku gave her a sardonic look, "You and Sora were getting closer, and I started feeling slightly left out. I was frustrated, that my best friend was getting more and more distracted, and that you two got to spend more time with one another while I was a grade ahead."

Kairi's jaw dropped slightly before she pursed her lips together while observing him. "...Who were you jealous of, though?"

Riku froze, and his chest tightened in a jumble of confusion, "I- wha- it was-" He ruffled his hair in awkward frustration, "I kept wanting to impress you, but you never really looked my way."

Kairi blinked, "...Oh."

Riku was flustered, but if Kairi could make her own small confessions, so could he. "I- y'know, a lot has changed between the three of us the past few years." She nodded as Riku continued, "I was so frustrated with Sora at first when everything happened. That he'd just pal along with two new friends, refusing to listen to him while I thought I was working harder than anyone to look for you. It was stupid, but I was so overjoyed to have been the first to find you… until I realized you were empty." And at the last word his voice had broken for a moment. A second where his agony bled through before he reigned in his old grievances, "I… I was so desperate to wake you up. You have no idea how I-" Riku took in a deep breath to try and rebalance his emotions before finally regaining his usual control. "I know it was stupid and horribly hopeful, but I tried waking you up like in one of those fairy tales."

Kairi paused, blinked, and then flushed when she caught onto his meaning, "Y-you kissed me?!"

Riku flushed and looked away from her embarrassed, "It was stupid, I know… and it's not like I would've been your true love."

Kairi felt her chest constrict at his words, his confession. She grasped his hands, "Oh, Riku…"

Riku chuckled tiredly, "I'm sorry I did that, without you ever being aware of it… Especially since that was probably..."

Probably her, and most certainly his, first kiss.

Kairi wanted to cry, unsure of the reason but most certainly for the pain that would have brought him. Her Heart had been safely nestled within Sora's, drowsy and barely aware of the struggles he'd been going through.

Kairi had been worried sick over Riku's well-being during the year he'd gone missing as she tried to live past the aching Sora-sized hole in her life. She released a breath as tears gathered in her eyes as she chuckled tiredly at herself, "And here I thought you'd never liked me that way, not the way you like Sora."

Riku grimaced, "Kairi, I- I've liked both of you the same way for a long time! It's just- I didn't know what to do with that. We were just best friends and Sora was always my little brother until one day he simply wasn't. It was the stupidest thing when I realized I was jealous of both of you liking each other and not including me."

Kairi stared at him wide eyed for a moment before speaking with a weak voice, "You've liked both of us?"

Riku sighed gustily, tired as he turned slightly away from her and croaked, "Yeah." He clenched his fists fitfully as he recollected his thoughts. "I wasn't angry with you for Sleeping for a year. Lonely? Yeah… but…" He took a calming breath, "I just didn't know what to call my feelings… how to describe them before, when no one else at home is really like that as far as I know. I've had a lot of time to figure it out while missing both of you."

Kairi tugged on his hands lightly, "Riku, I'm sorry for not noticing."

Riku scoffed at himself, "I really hadn't wanted you to notice."

Kairi wryly, "Like when your body had changed on the outside?"

Riku pushed down the sick feeling that immediately rose up within him, "Yeah. Like when I was Ansem."

Kairi sighed silently to herself as she looked down at their joined hands and absently started swinging them slightly to distract herself while Riku smirked at her antics as he continued, "I don't really expect anything from either of you. I'm just happy to have you both back."

Kairi slowly stopped swinging their hands and stilled before looking up at him, "Have you ever thought about it since then?"

Riku furrowed his brow, "Thought about what?"

"Kissing."

Riku blushed lightly as his nerves acted up, "Uh- no, not… not really." He'd been vaguely distracted by his Replica's final request for some time during his search for Sora.

Vanitas ended up filling that role in his place, and it had been with a shocking relief that he'd been freed from that worry and congratulated Naminé.

Kairi became disheartened for reasons beyond her as she retreated a little, "Oh." She felt stupid.

Riku blinked, "Why?" Kairi lifted her head in response to his question as he elaborated, "What does it matter? You've never… you've never liked me like that."

Kairi felt her face crumple slightly as her composure dissolved at the edges. She didn't immediately understand why she was reacting like this. It wasn't like he was wrong about it! She'd never really acted with him like that, but suddenly there as they stood talking to one another, she realized that while she felt so behind her two boys, Vanitas had been right that they all really did have their hang-ups with one another. Her throat felt tight as she tried to hold back from outright sobbing, "Riku, I held onto your Heart too when you all died!" Riku froze as he felt the remnants of that- of it happening more than once. It was part of why he'd been alright with her going to Sleep. How did one survive the fall of darkness and hold onto the Hearts of several others without harm, only to die? "I-" She bowed her head slightly, "I love you too, y'know! I just- I'm a girl!"

Riku blinked, "What's that have to do with-"

Kairi looked up at him frustrated as she clenched her teeth together to keep from wailing while painfully gripping his hands as she growled lowly between them, "I am not a slut."

And Riku suddenly understood.

He was a guy.

While plenty of Worlds were very different, there were certain societal cues that seemed to cross unseen Borders.

Girls weren't supposed to like more than one guy and be Pure while boys weren't held to the same standard.

Riku grimaced, "Kairi- I-"

Kairi sighed tiredly as she let go of one of his hands and scrubbed at her eyes to get rid of her tears of frustration and grief while she sniffed, "I made a choice. You made it easier with your actions, but my feelings have always been there. All boxed up nice and neat. I love both of you so so much, and I just feel so… inadequate."

Riku felt his chest clench at her words as he strained, "Kairi… You're not- you're not inadequate at all!"

Kairi sniffled notably as she did her best to keep her weeping to herself, "But I'm always left behind."

Riku swallowed thickly, as he recognized that it hadn't been all that long ago that he'd left her behind to search for Sora in Quadratum. He clenched his teeth for a moment, doing his best not to grind them in anxious frustration as he realized he'd done it again. He'd left her out of the loop once more, and now they were still where they'd been for too long. "I'm sorry."

Kairi shook her head sharply, "It's not your fault Riku."

Riku sagged slightly, "Doesn't change the fact I still feel responsible, somehow."

Kairi sniffed and wiped her face with a handkerchief, "That's just where our circumstances brought us."

Riku was silent for a moment before he lightly cupped her cheek and leaned down and murmured, "Can I… Would it be okay, if I kissed you?"

Kairi looked at him with glistening eyes, "I… you want to?"

Riku nodded just barely, silent as he gazed at her in a way she'd never noticed before. She took in a shaky breath as nerves fluttered in her stomach before just barely nodding, "O-okay."

Riku completed the distance between them. It was a simple innocent thing, and before she knew it he was pulling back slightly to look at her with pink dusted cheeks and brighter eyes. Kairi felt like she should say something as she felt too warm when something snapped nearby.

They both reacted to it as a barely-there gasp was stopped, and Sora stood frozen in the shadows of the narrow alley behind them.

Kairi felt Riku's hand grip hers painfully as he reacted, "Sora-"

And then Sora wasn't there, he was gone in a flash of purple-white glitter and Riku barely could trace the Magic he'd left behind in his wake.

Kairi turned and no communication was needed between them as they ran after their friend with tight chests and their hearts in their throats.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Sora didn't know why he'd fled.

It should seem obvious, but the second he'd been caught he'd bolted. Too many thoughts, too many feelings rushing through his blood as he tried to make sense of it all.

They'reMyBestFriendsIt'sOkayThey'llBeAlrightWithoutMeI'mOkayIt'sAlrightDon'tWorryThisIsEasierI'mGladTheyLike-

Sora took a painful gasping breath as he roughly rubbed away a traitorous tear from his cheek.

-ScaredDidn'tWantToChooseDidn'tWantToBeInARelationshipDidn't-

WhyWhyWhy was he reacting this way?

Kairi called out, "Sora!"

He ignored the voices from far away. His Flowmotion made it easy to cross long distances so he knew he could hide before they caught up to try and collect his frenzied thoughts.

TheyWereJustKissingIt'sNoBigDealWhyAreYouPanickingEverything'sOkay-

"Sora!" And suddenly Sora's world tilted backwards and he found himself within Riku's space as his friend latched tight arms around him and landed from his own Flowmotion through town. The taller teen had a second of time to turn before Kairi barely controlled her speed to not wind Sora in the middle as she latched onto them both and exhaled shakily, "Could you at least wait a minute so we can talk?!"

Sora was frozen, his lungs constricted as the panic finally took its course and paralyzed him. "I-" His voice was weak and he wanted to take in a breath but couldn't. Kairi pulled back slightly and Riku slightly released his hold on him while Sora took in a tiny breath, "Guys…"

And then Sora noticed how glossy Kairi's eyes were and grimaced, "K-Kairi, don't cry..!"

Kairi sniffed wetly, "Yeah well, You chose the worst timing and I'm not letting you go! Why did you run from us?!"

Sora wilted, "I-I don't know-"

Kairi clenched her teeth and gripped his hands in exasperation, "Honestly. Both of you drive me crazy!"

Riku chuckled lightly behind Sora as the taller teen responded lightly, "Sorry."

Kairi sniffed and rubbed at her cheek roughly with the base of her hand as she looked at Sora, "You've made it clear you aren't ready to make any sort of decision on the matter by kind of avoiding us, so why are you crying?"

Sora started as he rubbed at his cheeks, finally catching onto the fact that he really was tearing up something fierce. He sniffed as his nerves made him a jumbled mess, "I'unno!"

Riku sighed silently behind them as he let Sora go completely and took a quarter step back, "Before anything else, we're your friends, Sora. Don't forget that."

Sora glanced back at him almost annoyed and sulky, "I won't." He just didn't want anything to change. He'd lost too much over time, and he knew it was an impossible dream, but he really did wish they could go back to the time before the Islands fell.

Before their paths separated so glaringly, but he never would have been able to help and meet the people he had!

Crushes and liking was something he was familiar enough with, but love… It was a much greater and more difficult concept to understand. He'd learned a lot, but he couldn't understand himself.

It hurt.

Sora felt even more stupid, considering Vista had figured it out for himself and had made his own choices.

Kairi hesitantly hugged him, causing him to twitch in surprise due to how deep into his thoughts he'd started circling. He instinctively brought up his hands to hug her back and froze, unsure of himself as Riku joined in behind to sandwich him in and hug the both of them. Sora gave up with a slight slump and rested against the two of them, balanced, as he finally held Kairi back while also taking one of Riku's hands against her back. His voice felt rough and tired, "I just don't understand anything anymore."

He could feel the warmth of Riku's breath in his hair as he mused, "We don't get it either, dork."

Sora clicked his tongue to slightly glance back at him, "Hey-!"

Kairi shook with a suppressed giggle, "There's kind of a learning curve for all of us, it's not something obvious, Sora."

Sora shifted his eyes to her before glancing in either of their directions as he finally understood something he'd never thought of.

The whole point of dating was to see if you really did like that person in every way.

It just seemed weird when it was your closest best friends involved.

"Oh. So you guys… don't really know either?"

Riku hummed, "I've known that I've liked the both of you for years now. I just accepted that neither of you would reciprocate."

Kairi huffed silently, "I didn't think about it for a long time, with the whole Memory thing but… I thought of the two of you all the time when were separated." She pulled back to look into Sora's eyes, "I just couldn't go to where you were, or understand my feelings of loss… and then you didn't come home for months after the Exam until the Keyblade War became imminent."

Sora felt himself wilt a little on the inside. "...Oh."

Riku snorted, "Just oh?"

Sora slumped back into him in annoyed exhaustion, "Shut up, I don't know what else to say." He pouted and Kairi covered her mouth to grin at their antics. "I just wanna be with you two forever."

Kairi smiled and he could tell Riku was pleased enough as he responded, "That's what we want too, you know."

Sora hadn't, but he was getting the proper picture. "I just… I feel like it's expected for us to all just… start dating and stuff and I don't… I don't know how any of that works." He wasn't sure he was even ready for that.

Riku hummed, "I don't really know either, do you?"

Kairi raised an eyebrow, "I have ideas, but I actually went to school to see some of it." She clicked her tongue in annoyance, "I'm pretty sure it's different for everyone. I just wanna be able to go with you two off-World and… see the things you've seen."

Riku nodded and Sora went a little wide-eyed, "Uhm-"

Riku squeezed them both before releasing them, "I think it'd be nice if we all took the chance to hang out again."

Sora shifted as Kairi also let him go, and he glanced between the two of them unsure and awkward, "...No kissy stuff?"

Kairi made a face and Riku rolled his eyes as he placed his hands on his hips, "Are we even going out with each other?"

Sora made a face, "You kissed Kairi!"

Riku flicked Sora's forehead, "'Cause I asked her if I could."

Sora paused and quickly glanced between the both of them, "...Oh." He felt butterflies, "I- uhm. Oh."

Kairi rocked on her heels for a second with her hands cupped behind her, "Sora?" He glanced at her, "Can I kiss you on the cheek?"

Sora felt his face warm and after thinking it over he hesitantly nodded. She kept her hands to herself, and he couldn't fight the instinct to clam up and clench his eyes when she got close. He sensed her hesitate and huff lightly to herself before he felt the softness of her lips on his cheek for only a moment and then she was gone. He blushed and opened one eye, only to note that she'd returned to the place she'd started and slowly eased himself up. Riku then disbalanced him by clapping him on the shoulder as he yelped.

"See? We'll try to be mindful, and we're not going to force anything, Sora."

Sora flushed at his immaturity as he glanced between them still unsure, "But… what are we then?"

Riku pondered for a moment as he cupped his chin, but Kairi puffed up slightly and slapped her hands onto her cocked hip, "Well for one thing, we're definitely not friends with benefits, okay?" Sora and Riku both nodded vigorously at that sentiment, "We'll be exclusive to just the three of us, right?" They two boys nodded again, "Then we'll figure out what names go with our relationship later. I just wanna be close with you two and finally have the chance to enjoy being together again."

Sora… appreciated that sentiment. He wanted to be with his two best friends (and something more?) but he'd felt pressured on all sides to make some sort of decision one way or another.

He wasn't sure if this was a solution, but clearly they'd needed to talk this out and simply hadn't known how to do so.

Sora slumped slightly, tired as he whined, "This is confusing."

Riku nodded, "It is." Sora blinked and looked at him slightly surprised as Riku raised an eyebrow, "What, you thought we knew exactly what we were doing?"

Sora shook his head vigorously due to everything they'd talked about, "N-no, but I- Uhm." He shuffled, "I've… seen a lot. N-Not on purpose!"

Riku and Kairi nearly rolled their eyes as they chorused, "We know."

Sora chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head, "Uhm… so we're… we're together, I guess?"

Riku and Kairi observed him for a long moment as he slowly brought his hand down, the two occasionally glancing at one another before Riku responded, "If that's alright with you. I certainly miss being with you guys, and if this lets us be closer than before… then yeah."

Kairi nodded in agreement, and Sora bashfully grasped their hands as butterflies bloomed in his stomach, "L-Let's get back to Merlin's."

Riku laughed abruptly as he held his hand back, "Sure thing."

Kairi smiled with a nod as she returned his hold, and they let Sora tug them along with pink dusted cheeks and unsure steps.

But they'd figure it out together one way or another.

They were just glad to be together again.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

It was late into the evening when Xion made her way back home from her visit with Olette. She'd needed a little of the girl's time after getting back from The Land of Departure, and then the hour got away from them as they discussed one subject after another.

Xion rubbed her arm with a frown on her face as she made her way back home.

"Xion."

She jumped at the soft voice and brought out her Kingdom Key in reflex. Vanitas stared at it blankly, and Xion felt her face heat up before she dismissed it and wiped a hand over her skirt to settle the folds, "Oh, You startled me!"

Vanitas's smile was tiny and short-lived before he moved over to her side, "Sorry."

Xion nodded and observed him in concern as his voice was too small and her chest felt weird. She lifted her palm up, and he took her hand immediately as he chided her, "You shouldn't walk home late alone."

Xion raised an eyebrow, "I can defend myself."

Vanitas's face was unreadable, "It's safer with numbers."

Xion slowly frowned and searched him more closely, "...Are you okay? From earlier?"

Vanitas finally broke eye contact with her and glanced away in tired defeat, "Not really."

Xion felt her shoulders lower slowly, "Vanitas…"

The Darkling waffled there, holding her hand as if it were natural… and maybe it was, now.

Certainly, now that their Memories had crossed individualized boundaries. She'd told Ventus she'd seen all of his Memories.

Vanitas's were a great deal more…

More… Vast?

She took in a slow breath, "I've seen your Memories." Vanitas tilted his head as she continued, "I- You have an unexplainable amount of Memory… The others probably won't be able to understand the scope of it, but… You've been around for a long, long time… right?"

Vanitas notably paused before he confessed, "Yeah."

Xion looked at their linked hands in contemplation, "I saw a Tower… and a man in a Coat writing a Book. I can hear his words in Dreams but… their clarity is gone when I wake up. You were… Friends, I think."

Vanitas nodded, "The Master of Masters… Yeah. I was there, but it was also one of the Others."

Xion tilted her head before shrugging, "Xehanort is at the forefront of your Memories."

"Well, yeah. He's the one who forcefully gave me a body."

"...Your face was blank at first."

Vanitas shuddered, "Yes it was. I was just an empty doll of darkness."

Xion smiled tiredly, "Just like how I was a blank puppet, once."

Vanitas watched her for a moment and simply accepted it. He'd known it, of course, how she'd started out for one reason or another. He tugged her hand and pulled her close and held her. She blinked and held him back for a time as she questioned him silently.

"...Sorry." He pulled back but kept hold of her hands, "I… I don't get it myself." He observed her for a moment, "I have something I want to tell you. I think you should know it, since Sora, Roxas, and Ven know it now too."

Xion's eyes widened, "What is it?"

Vanitas smiled at her as he gently spoke, "My name is Vista."

And Xion felt as though flowers bloomed around her. Dozens of white gleaming Moon Lilies bloomed in the back of her mind and she felt the embrace of night stretch endlessly into the Deep and she smiled overjoyed. Tears warmed her vision, "It's a beautiful name, a good name."

Vista felt slightly bashful by her reaction, it was the brightest of them all and the most picturesque. He could see and feel the image her mind and Heart had conjured, close like this. It was almost embarrassing, but he was glad all the same. "...Thank you."

Xion nodded, "You're welcome. And… You want it to be a secret."

Vista nodded in affirmation and Xion pulled his hands close to her chest for a moment as she closed her eyes and probed their bond. His fingers twitched before he clicked his tongue, "Stop that."

Xion giggled and let their hands lower between them before releasing one, "Okay."

Vista huffed softly and tugged her along, "Let's get back before the others really start to worry about us."

Xion began to move and tilted her head while looking at him, "I was looking over some things with Olette."

Vista nodded absently, "Uh huh."

"The three of them miss you, you know. Have you been reading their letters?"

Vista was silent for a beat, "Yeah."

Xion was pleased, "You should write them back sometime."

Vista breathed in deep before exhaling softly, "...Someday, maybe."

Xion made an agreeable nod and caught sight of the apartment ahead, satisfied with his answer.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

The sun was shining brightly as they play-fought with their wooden swords at their usual place. Kairi watched from the side, her expression full of longing to join in their swordplay in her sad smile as she watched them.

She and Selphie had tired out from their playing, and Wakka and Tidus were tossing a Blitzball back and forth.

Still, that didn't matter all that much in the moment. He just wanted to beat Riku!

A well-timed parry and suddenly the wooden sword was buried in the dirt a foot away as his hand stung from the impact. He sucked in air painfully as he held his hand with a wince. "Gosh Riku, you just keep getting better!" Tears were threatening his eyes. He could take this little pain!

Riku looked at him worriedly, "Sora I- I didn't mean to hurt you!"

He laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head, "Awe, it's no biggie!" He turned to recollect his sword.

"But still…"

He sniffed and rubbed at his eyes as he stood up with the hilt of his sword gripped loosely, "I'm gonna be okay, don't you worry!" He got back into position with a warbly smirk on his face, "C'mon Riku, one more round!"

Riku hesitated before awkwardly getting into position, "Alright Sora, if you say so."

He steeled himself and burst forward, trying something new by going low and swinging upwards. It wasn't fair that Riku was a year older, his eleven year old frame was able to hold off his upward strike better than he'd hoped as he placed himself at an unrealized disadvantage. He dropped to a knee abruptly as his wrist twinged horribly and he lost his grip on his sword.

Riku barely caught himself from smacking him in the head and hopped back, "I'm done, Sora. You're in no shape to continue."

He grimaced and felt a swell of sadness at his inability to get even a single win on Riku today. He sniffed and rubbed at his face before grinning brightly, "Yeah, my bad. Sorry, Riku."

Riku sighed lightly as he stepped forward to help him up with an outstretched hand. He took it with his left instead, his right twinging annoyingly from the earlier hit.

Kairi stepped forward and pulled up his wrist gingerly as she examined it, and he winced as he realized it was turning purple.

Kairi looked up at him worriedly, "Are you gonna be able to row home?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I might be a little slower but I'm pretty sure I can make it!" He grinned, but the pain was slowly growing and it really did hurt.

Kairi watched him before nodding silently, "I'll go slow to make sure, okay?"

He blinked and nodded, "Okay, thanks."

Suddenly his left hand was grabbed tightly in an adult's painful grip as the sunny beachside became a dim, dusty smelling school with blurred children's faces as he was dragged out of the classroom. His heart was beating in his throat as tears gathered at the edges, "That hurts!"

The old woman glared down at him with chained spectacles on her face and deep set wrinkles, "You refuse to listen to me, Ventus!"

He sniffed, "But I don't understand! It's how I write and hold things!"

She scoffed, "Clearly my ruler is not enough for you. I don't know what your foolish parents are thinking at home, but I will not have a child in my class write in such a manner. You will use your right hand!"

He winced as her hold became tighter and he was brought into the nurse's office alone. It was unoccupied and she continued to drag him around as she looked for something. He was scared and he just couldn't understand it. "Miss Ver-"

She cried in triumph, cutting him off as she dragged him to a table and slammed his arm onto it, her other hand hidden out of sight. She smiled cruelly to herself before stealing her face and looking down at him with her horribly shaped nose, "You will not be using that hand anymore to write, Ventus. No more."

He panicked, "Wh-what do you mean?"

She smiled in a way that he could only think was pure evil as the knife plunged down through tiny flesh while he screamed

And woke up at the end of a scream of his own as Roxas abruptly sat up to cover his mouth. He felt sick as the phantom pain in his left wrist made his stomach turn, and Roxas didn't know what to make of it. He felt the bile come up the back of his throat before he frantically looked for his nearby waste bin to throw up into. He coughed as his stomach settled, stumbling towards his personal bathroom before dealing with his short lived bout of sickness and tried to comfort himself by rubbing his now chilled arms. His nerves were a mess, and he knew he was shaking as he tried to relax.

Slowly Roxas instinctively looked at his naked left wrist and rubbed it self-consciously, the pain there from a non-existent wound.

There was no mark or blemish, just clear unharmed skin.

Roxas took in a deep shaking breath before he rinsed his mouth out and left the confines of his suffocating room.

He wasn't surprised to see Ventus at the kitchen table, pale and gripping a cup uncomfortably with a glassy faraway look in his eyes.

Ventus noticed his movement immediately and smiled weakly as he hoarsely spoke, "Couldn't sleep?"

Roxas watched him intensely for a moment before moving over to him smoothly and reaching out towards his left arm before stopping. Ventus watched him confused and stressed as he asked, "...What's up, Roxas?"

Roxas swallowed as he matched his look-alike's gaze and dropped his hand, "What's up with you?"

Ventus blinked, "...Huh?"

Roxas still felt uneasy, "Why're you up?"

Ventus shifted uncomfortably as he shrugged helplessly and stared into his glass, grey and tired, "I had a bad dream, that's all."

Roxas stared at Ventus's bare left arm, angled in such a way that he couldn't see the inside of it. He was almost hiding it, with the slightly odd angle it was at. Yet, he realized with a jolt that there was an ugly thin line on the outside of it, just barely visible in the evening's dim as Ventus had sat hunched in the dark. Roxas swallowed and gently went to trace it before Ventus flinched his hand away, nearly knocking over his drink in distress.

They stared at one another, and Ventus hid his left hand under the table with his head bowed, "Just a bad memory."

Roxas swallowed thickly, "Your teacher hurt you."

Ventus winced before looking up at him helplessly, "Y-you dreamed it too?"

Roxas shrugged awkwardly as he sat down, "It interrupted a Memory-Dream from Sora's childhood."

Ventus winced, "S-sorry."

Roxas blinked, "Why're you apologizing?"

Ventus shifted and held both hands under the table, tense as he quietly spoke, "Because you had to see that."

Roxas observed Ventus for a moment. He'd had so many conflicting feelings about him, and it was difficult for him to accept certain things.

But in that moment, his heart finally broke a little, and he allowed himself to accept the fact that Ventus was his brother. He took in a deep breath before exhaling tiredly, "Ven." The other blond looked at him awkwardly as Roxas continued, "Let me see."

Ventus scooted a little back and firmly stated, "No."

Roxas simply sat there, silently imploring him before Ventus slumped and gave his hand over to Roxas. Roxas gently took his left hand in both of his, observing all of the ware a long-trained Keyblade Wielder could have even with their non-dominant hand, and traced the planes of it. He moved down from Ventus's rough fingertips and calluses on his palm to the base of his hand. He could see the telltale signs of that horrible Memory, the deep ugly scar that had made this hand near useless.

Roxas felt compassion for his brother, "Does it still bother you?"

Ventus was distinctly uncomfortable as he tried to understand his question, "Physically or emotionally?"

Roxas blinked before shrugging, "Both."

Ventus huffed a sigh, "It aches sometimes. The wristband helps, but Master Eraqus wasn't able to do anything for it when it was discovered, back when I was still kinda… not there."

Roxas blinked in confusion, "Not there?"

Ventus shrugged, "I was kind of a zombie for a while."

Roxas nodded, "I...think I understand. I was hazy my first seven days too, I guess."

Ventus nodded numbly, "Yeah."

Roxas was quiet for a moment before he hesitantly asked, "And you're sure he wasn't lying?"

Ventus laughed painfully, soft and tired. "I know you guys don't have the best image of him, but he wasn't all-knowing. He could Heal, but not that well. The injury was just too old to fix with any of his knowledge."

Roxas felt a small amount of relief and nodded, "Okay. Sorry."

Ventus shrugged it off and nodded, "Emotionally… I only just got that Memory back, so it's sharp and painful." He gave him a sad look, "Sorry you had to experience it with me."

Roxas was silent for a moment before he slowly shook his head, "No, it's… it's painful, but I'm not… upset about it. Honestly I think I had this idea that you were kinda stupid-happy and wasn't super hurt by people."

Ventus blinked at him, baffled, before he burst into laughter, "That's so rude, Roxas!"

Roxas flushed lightly, "I- sorry. I'm not really... good with people, still, I guess."

Ventus snickered while shaking his head before exhaling softly, "I was lucky to keep use of it, but…" He lifted his left hand and flexed his hands. He glanced at Roxas before he grabbed his wrist and tried gripping it. It was then that Roxas realized Ventus's ability to really grip things was lacking. "It's weak. I'm lucky to be somewhat ambidextrous, but it was still really hard to use my right for a long time."

Roxas nodded numbly, "Oh."

Ventus took a sip of his water, "Thanks for coming out here."

Roxas blinked at him, "Why?"

Ventus smiled, "Because it kinda helped me feel better."

"Oh. You're welcome."

Ventus nodded and they were silent for a time before going their separate ways to try and get what little rest they could before the swiftly approaching morning caught up with them.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Strelitzia was humming as she tended to her flowers, her back to him as he stood on the glass of his Heart Station.

Vista felt a little dead inside, and yet, he didn't even have the energy to hate her. She was doing just as she said she would.

She paused and turned, a smile with no joy on her face as she finally acknowledged his presence there. "Hello."

Vista looked around, the flowers were blooming quite nicely into the third ring of his station. Soon enough she'd start to encroach on the fourth, along with his own image, and those images that were coming into clarity as his closest ties.

He paused before walking towards that halo of four seen circles. The faces had been made complete, yet others crowded behind him still.

Naminé's image was the closest to him. Merlin filled in a slot behind his head, while Sora, Ventus, and Roxas filled the other three previously clear circles. Xion was there too, obscured behind him just as Merlin was, but… he was glad. They really were all connected to his Heart now, and he wouldn't change that.

It had gone through stages of indecision, not taking on any singular person until more recently.

Vista turned to Strelitzia and finally returned her greeting, "Hey."

Strelitzia's smile became slightly more genuine before she simply went neutral. He observed her, and she him, as a tense silence reigned between them.

"Is it because of you?" He couldn't help but ask. He simply wanted to know.

Strelitzia tilted her head slightly, "Hmm? Oh, you mean your inability to travel or commune with the Dark?"

Vista nodded silently.

She smiled in a way that didn't fit her, "Well, I did say I wouldn't hurt Vista. The darkness feeds on the young and weak of Heart."

Vista felt annoyed by that response, yet she continued.

"Also, taking away that which once made you you, that which you once called a home and a comfort. Stealing away from you the life you once Knew. Isn't that also the poetic irony of taking my life?"

Vista swallowed the dark feelings, the desire to lash out at this girl.

He had allowed this, after all.

He felt his throat constrict, "An infant has more resistance to the Dark than you're allowing me now."

She pouted at him, "So sad."

She was being especially spiteful, wasn't she?

Vista shook his head, "If you make it so I can't protect myself, so that I can't protect others from the desires of the Deep… That's on your Soul."

Strelitzia paused and she reflexively began to tug on her right ponytail, "I…"

"These children don't understand the Deep. I can't help them protect their Hearts if you debilitate me further. You're even restricting my knowledge that they themselves don't have."

Strelitzia looked guilty for a time before she turned. She motioned with her hands towards the flowers, as if to tell them to take a few steps back.

They clustered closer to one another, and pulled back closer to the outer ring. Not all around, but at least away from Vista's image.

Vista sighed in relief, as he felt an unknown pressure shift away. Strelitzia looked back at him, unsure, "Is this alright?"

Vista nodded, "That's… I guess, yeah."

Strelitzia nodded and kept her hands clasped close to her chest, "You can't make me leave."

Vista rolled his eyes, "Wasn't gonna bother trying."

Strelitzia was guarded and unsure, "But you will allow Merlin and Yen Sid here."

Vista was quiet for a long moment, "Yes. It's for your sake as much as mine that I'll allow it."

Strelitzia became quieter, "Can she come, too?"

Vista blinked, "Who?"

"The Memory Witch."

Vista's eyes darkened, "Naminé doesn't like that title."

Strelitzia smiled sadly, "Until she calls her Keyblade, what else could she be called, with such magnificent Magic Power?"

Vista studied her tiredly, "What would she be called otherwise?"

Strelitzia began to glow and then fade, "Painter of Memory and Weaver of Bonds."

Vista furrowed his brow, "What does that mean?"

Strelitzia smiled kindly despite her barely there state, "The reason your connections to those four others, including herself, solidified the way they did... was because her Power pulled them into herself to calm the crushing Tide." Her image disappeared along with her presence as she seemingly falling into a light Slumber.

Vista turned away with muddled thoughts and awoke to a pink haze covering his room. Dawn was approaching, and he felt the itch to paint.

It wasn't long before the first stroke met blank canvas.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

Sora woke up to Vista straddling him at the hip on his knees with a disapproving look and crossed arms in the late morning, "When was the last time you went home or talked to our parents?"

Sora's brain tried to boot up, "Wh-Vista?!" He tried to shove his brother, but Vista was prepared for it and was barely shifted because of it. Sora squirmed, and Vista countered him before they abruptly became a pile of limbs and horseplay as they growled and tried to one up the other.

Sora didn't quite understand why it was so easy for them to slide into the role of long-lived twin brothers, but it was oddly natural and it almost made him mad.

Until Vista started to tickle him, "Uah!" He laughed and kicked at his brother, "You- You can't get answers from me if you- Aha! Stop it!"

Vista stopped, slightly out of breath as he grinned and pinned him under a lazy arm while resting his head against his palm with a sly grin of victory, "Fine, but you need to answer my question, Sora."

Sora huffed through his nose and looked anywhere but his brother, "...I haven't talked to them since they went back home after Radiant Garden."

Vista snarled with a disapproving click of his tongue, "Sora, even I've called them a few times since then. It's been a couple of weeks, brother."

Sora rolled his eyes before wallowing slightly, "I just… I'm scared."

Vista stared at him with an unreadable look. It wasn't really a surprised or annoyed look.

He clearly had his own ideas as to why that was.

Vista eventually took in a deep breath and sighed with a roll of his eyes as he got off of him, "You should go home for a few days."

Sora grimaced, "But-!"

Vista looked back at him with a neutral look, "Sora, our parents love and miss you. You don't have to go alone, but… at least go. Try and visit the things you were missing while in Quadratum. I certainly went down the trip through memory lane for you."

Sora swallowed and he understood that it wasn't the same. "...You think it'll be okay?" He'd dropped out of school after all.

Vista gave him a tiny smile before it disappeared, "Yes."

Sora felt his stomach clench in nervousness, but slowly he nodded.

He missed his old room that he never really got around to adjusting from his fourteen-year-old-self's aesthetics and abruptly too-small clothes. He'd changed a lot, even though he liked many of the same things he had before.

But somehow he knew it wouldn't be the same anymore. Things already hadn't been the same during the few months he'd been home before the Exam.

Sora sat cross legged on his bed, "...Okay. Fine. I'll go home for a few days." He looked at his brother, "You coming with?"

Vista made a face that let Sora know that he'd decline, but the Darkling waved a tired hand, "I'm working on something that has a time limit, sorry."

Sora nodded slowly, knowing there was something else going on with his brother. "Alright."

Vista looked at him, "Next time?"

Sora slowly smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'll introduce you to everyone!" He grinned and Vista smirked and rolled his eyes, "Sure." The darker twin stood and stretched, "C'mon, breakfast is almost ready."

Sora nodded and hopped out of his bed despite his abrupt lack of appetite, "Got it."

Vista was in the lead, and when they got to the kitchen Roxas looked at them and lightened up a little as he greeted them, "Big bro-" Somehow he managed to turn green for a split second and cut himself off with a harsh cough before clearing his throat, "Vanitas, Sora."

Vista made a snorting sound as he cackled, "Awe, did that actually hurt you to try and say?"

Sora punched Vista in the arm while swooping around him to sit at the table with a seemingly innocent smile, "Morning Roxas! Xion!"

Xion grinned and nodded in greeting, "Morning Sora."

Vista swore under his breath as he rubbed his forearm, "Lost his powers my ass son of bitch!"

Sora sharply turned to him, "Don't talk about our mom that way!"

Vista glared at him, "I wasn't talking about our-!" He stopped, thought it over, and then gave him an incensed and pointed look, "Fuck you and it's a figure of speech." He huffed and plopped into his usual chair with crossed arms in annoyance.

Sora pouted at him, "You don't have to be so mean about it, Vanitas."

Vista pitched his voice in mocking, "You didn't have to punch me, Sora."

The young looking Merlin turned from the stove and gave them an incredulous look, "Bickering so early this late morning?"

Sora raised his nose with a sniff, "He started it."

Vista sneered, "Did not!"

Sora turned to him, "You were straddling me when I woke up!"

Vista flushed lightly with a growl and Merlin tutted, "That's enough you two. I heard you roughhousing already and the day's barely begun."

Vista and Sora chorused in unison, "Fi~ne."

Ventus wandered into the kitchen, having previously paused in the living room as he slowly eased into the now crowded table, "Heh. I wish I could be that close with Roxas."

Roxas rolled his eyes and Xion poked him with a pout as she spoke, "You could try a little to just hang out."

Roxas slumped into himself with a grumble and Ventus laughed lightly, "Don't worry about it, Xion." Xion gave him a sad look and Ventus wilted a bit, "Uh- no, really, it's okay, I think, if he doesn't really like me."

Roxas gave Ventus a weird look, "I don't- I like you well enough, Ven. It's just. Weird."

Ventus blinked before grinning, "Oh, okay."

Riku shuffled into the kitchen a complete zombie with Kairi close behind as they chorused, "Coffee, please."

Vista glanced at the full carafe, "Lights after my own dark Heart." He stood and snagged the pot of coffee, pouring himself a generous cup before pouring the two barely-there teens some brew. He set it up for another round and lazily placed their cups at their seats as they squeezed in.

Vista huddled over his cup in his seat, and Merlin finally started to magically plate their food in front of them.

Xion minded her bottom lip for a moment as she glanced around, "Where's Naminé?"

Merlin hummed, "She wasn't feeling well, so I've already taken care of her for breakfast and will be checking in on her when we're done."

Vista frowned, "She's sick?"

Merlin waved an unconcerned hand, "No, not quite." Vista pursed his lips and glared at the Wizard. Merlin huffed in response, "With any luck she'll be out and about later."

Vista squirmed and pulled out his phone and started messaging her. Xion also sent a few messages before digging into her food along with the others. Kairi slowly perked up and sent a message as well while she tried to calm Vista's clear distress, "It's probably okay, Vanitas."

Vista grumbled and Merlin pointedly cleared his throat, "Eat it while it's hot, Vanitas."

Vista sighed in annoyance before he put down his phone harder than necessary and started eating, grumpy and worried all at once.

Merlin smiled to himself over his Ward's concern. He was more than pleased with Vista's growth, but the nagging in the back of his mind over the flowers growing in the teen's Heart, along with his confessions of his nameless Keyblade… it weighed on him. "Vanitas." The Darkling looked at him and spitefully shoved eggs in his mouth. Merlin rolled his eyes, "I will be taking you to Yen Sid's later."

Vista froze and immediately regretted his spite as he could barely swallow, "Ah."

Sora tilted his head, "Did Master Yen Sid summon him?"

Merlin shook his head and held back his internal grievance and worry, "No. There are just a few things of concern to go over- nothing serious." Hopefully.

Sora nodded and took it at face value, while Vista forced himself to eat a bit more in a rush before taking his cup of coffee, "I have something I need to finish." He stood with purpose and pocketed his phone, "Let me know when, Merlin."

Merlin raised an eyebrow, "Of course." Vista left distracted and returned to his room.

Sora gave Merlin a curious look, "Do you know what he's working on?"

Merlin frowned, "...I'm not exactly sure, but I believe he's trying to catalogue some of his knowledge. There's something… unusual going on with him, since he's slowly become unable to use Dark Corridors safely, even with protective clothes."

Sora's eyes widened slightly before he nodded solemnly, "I see."

Riku frowned at that information. It was more than strange.

Merlin sighed softly as he questioned, "Do you children all know the names of your Keyblades?"

Some pondered his question while others thought it was a strange thing to ask. Xion bowed her head slightly, "I knew the name immediately… but I'm still not sure I'm really… using a real Keyblade, sometimes."

Merlin raised his eyebrow while Roxas looked at her in concern. Riku cut through that thought immediately, "You're Keyblade's been real for a long time now, definitely since you came to our side at the Graveyard."

Xion looked at him soulfully before nodding in relieved acceptance, "Thank you."

Riku nodded and Merlin rubbed between his eyes, "So you all know your Keyblade's name."

They all nodded with a small chorus of "Yes"es ringing out around the table.

"Vanitas doesn't."

Ventus paused, "Wait, what? I thought it was-" He stopped and frowned before pulling out a geared Keychain in uncertainty, "...I thought it was Void Gear…"

Merlin furrowed his brow at the monochrome Keychain and silently asked if he could take a look. Ventus handed the item over, and Merlin pondered over it, "Where did you get this?"

Ventus had to take a moment to remember, "In the Keyblade Graveyard. There was-" He stopped and tilted his head in slight confusion before shrugging it off. "I got it from… a figment of Vanitas."

Merlin raised an eyebrow at that before humming, "May I borrow this?" Ventus nodded and Merlin put it away, "Curious."

Sora was quiet for a while before cautiously asking, "Kairi, Riku?" They both looked at him before he continued, "Can we… Can we go home to Destiny Islands for a day or two?"

Kairi smiled, "Of course!"

Riku nodded before asking, "What brought that on?"

Sora blushed lightly and rubbed his head, "Vanitas asked me about the last time I talked to my parents… and, well… I do kind of miss home."

Riku's eyes softened a little, "Sounds good. When do you wanna go?"

Sora paused, "Later today?"

Kairi nodded, "I'll let our parents know."

Sora gave her an awkward smile, "Thanks."

Merlin hummed, "Well then, I believe we all have separate plans today. Be safe, and do feel free to message any one of us to let us know you're alright."

They all nodded, and Merlin pushed himself up to get ready for travel.

Escorting Vista would be a slight challenge he'd have to swiftly overcome.

xXx-xXx-awaken-xXx-xXx

A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't too jumbled/disjointed... and think we're coming closer to the end.

Please R&R!