Day 7: Embrace

Aqua still wasn't quite sure what to make of the frail blond boy Master Eraqus had brought to live with her and Terra at the Land of Departure. She knew his name was Ventus; it was the only thing he'd said since arriving weeks ago, and the only reason Aqua hadn't assumed the boy was completely mute— though he hadn't spoken a word since.

Ventus kept drifting in and out of comas, occasionally sleeping for days at a time. Even when he was awake his eyes were dull and unfocused, always staring vaguely at the floor as he shuffled along— almost as if he were sleepwalking.

The Master had informed Aqua and Terra that Ventus had been through a terrible accident, one which had left his heart and mind impaired. At hearing this, the two older apprentices took it upon themselves to assist Ventus as best they could, taking turns leading him to and from his bedroom, the kitchen, lessons, and bringing him along to watch their sparring sessions outside in the courtyard.

When not guided around by her or Terra, Ventus would sit listlessly and stare at nothing. Aqua worried that despite their combined efforts, the boy's health would never improve. That was why she was so surprised when one day Ventus wandered into the kitchen all by himself.

"Hello, Ventus," Aqua greeted warmly from where she stood chopping vegetables at the counter, though she knew he wouldn't answer. "I was just preparing dinner for later."

Ventus didn't make a sound or even look at her as he shuffled around the kitchen.

"…Are you hungry?" she asked, tilting her head at his odd behavior.

Ventus paused, glancing in her general direction. He parted his lips slightly before pressing them back together, then moved his head in what could've been interpreted as a minute nod.

Taking that as a yes, Aqua gently smiled at him, moving to the sink to wash off her knife. "Let's get you something to eat, then."

She made her way to the cupboard and pulled down a tray of spongecake she'd baked yesterday. Cake seemed to be Ventus's favorite food— or at least it'd been the first thing she'd convinced him to eat.

Slicing him a generous piece of spongecake, Aqua set it along with a fork on the table. "There you go, just how you like it," she said encouragingly after sprinkling on a dash of powdered sugar.

Ventus stared at the table for several seconds before shuffling forwards and seating himself, the wooden chair legs squeaking against the floor. He slowly reached for the fork and began taking small bites of cake.

Nodding to herself, Aqua returned to her work.

When Ventus was done eating, he stood up, a little unsteady on his feet.

"You're finished?" Aqua asked, turning around to pick up his plate.

Suddenly, Ventus moved faster than she'd ever seen him before. He took a lurching step towards her, and for a second Aqua worried he might've stumbled over his own feet. Before she could move to catch him however, he was heavily leaning against her front, his arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

"Oh!" Aqua gasped as the breath was knocked out of her. "Ventus…?" she asked uncertainly, peering down at the boy, who was currently burying his face in her blouse. She stayed still for a couple seconds before deducing he wasn't merely using her to catch his fall.

Hesitantly, Aqua slowly returned Ventus's warm embrace. This close, she could feel his heartbeat directly next to hers. It was oddly comforting; she ran a hand through his soft hair, which gave off a light scent of cherryberry shampoo.

After a while, Ventus peeked up at her through his bangs. Aqua reached down to brush a stray strand of blond hair from his face; for a brief moment, she thought she saw a tiny spark in those dull blue eyes— and Aqua understood.

"You're welcome," she said, beaming down at him.

She could've sworn she saw a faint smile play across his lips as Ventus squeezed her waist a little tighter. Eventually, he pulled away from the hug and wandered back out of the kitchen.

Aqua picked up his empty plate and brought it to the sink, humming to herself. For the first time since he'd arrived, she was sure Ventus would be okay.

Thanks for Reading!

For more Venqua content, please check out the following blogs on Tumblr!: VenquaWeek, Wayward-Rainstorm, and VengeVerse.

Full cover artwork available on DeviantArt under the name RevengeRevisited.