There are few things in this world that you love more than his touch.
His fingertips, rough and calloused, tell the tale of who he is beyond a revered blitz star – he's your guardian. He's the one sworn to stand by you and keep you safe. The dexterous hands that wield Wayward Wind to cut through fiends are the same that hold you so carefully, so fondly, as if you're the most precious treasure. His rough fingertips are a sheer contrast on your smooth skin, a skin he often says is made of porcelain – and you always laugh and roll your eyes, because that is so cliché.
You two are Yin and Yang, shadow and light, and, yes, it is cliché and you do love it so.
There's no sound in the room other than your labored breaths, the eager meeting of mouths, the rustling of clothes being gradually stripped and discarded. His touch knows you better than you know yourself. His palms read you like an open book and undo your every secret, find your every crevice. You once said that, if you died with his touch on you, you'd die as the happiest man that ever lived. He sulked for the rest of the day after that, telling you to never again use your self and the concept of death in a same sentence.
For someone with such rough hands, he's got such a tender soul.
His hands are on your hips now, and you toss your head back in delight as he claims you. The two of you have done this at least a hundred times, yet it still always feels like the first time. His voice still fills your belly with butterflies as he whispers by your ear of all the things he's about to do to you and with you. His scent still makes you press your short nails to his shoulder blades as you bring him closer, as close as physically possible. His hands still know, will always know, exactly where to touch to turn you in a shivering mess in his hold.
There are few things in this world that you love more than your own name when it falls from his lips.
You say his name back, and you say it like a prayer. You once told him he's your favorite place of worship, and the ending of that night was also when you swore for your life to never again touch his favorite drink. He makes your head swim right now as well, leaves you dizzy and wobbly. He's your own addiction.
You say his name again and he brings his tongue to the side of your neck, he licks all the way from your collarbone to your earlobe, and you feel your soul leaving your body. Flashes of pleasure rush down your spine, they are blinding, they make your nails dig deeper in his flesh. He finishes and you follow right after. These few seconds are eternal and pass all too fast.
He slumps on top of you with a satisfied groan and you welcome him. Your move your arms to better wrap around him and it's like your muscles have turned to goo, so blissfully heavy and still tingling. The urge to close your eyes is pretty much impossible to resist… but not before one last thing. You brush back his unruly black locks, cup his face to make sure his beautiful golden eyes are focused on you. And you lean in to kiss him yet again, with a wide smile.
"I love you… I love you so much."
Ven's mouth felt as dry as the desert in Bikanel Island. He sat up after a little struggle to disentangle himself from the bed covers, the cabin plunged in darkness save for the moonlight coming in through the window. He didn't need light to figure out the mess he must look like, however. Yevon be good, what was that dream just now…? Did he seriously dream of two persons doing– …well, making love to each other? More than the content of the dream, though, what had his head spinning was the sense of nostalgia it'd left him with. He didn't even know who those were, if they were anyone at all other than figments of imagination, but somehow it felt like he'd been there himself. Like he'd been reliving a memory, rather than creating it anew overnight.
But how could that be?
He'd never been that intimate with anyone, and he doubted he'd ever be.
With a groan, he kicked the covers further back and rested his forehead on his knees. And was quick to realize that the dream hadn't played with his mind and emotions only… His own body also seemed antsy enough, to call it like that. For a moment he stayed like that and refused to move, hoping that the issue would either get bored and fade away, or solve itself. Wishful thinking did nothing for him, much to his dismay.
What now?
He could just flop back down, bury himself in covers and pillows, and try to go back to sleep. He could also throw himself into a barrel of ice cold water and hope for the best. Or… he could do what he was doing already – to slip a hand inside the baggy gray sweatpants he wore to bed, and then also inside his underwear. Admittedly, it wasn't a solution that Lord Summoner Ventus was too proud of… but Ven did think it'd felt hot-damn good, once it was done with. Having the pillows around, to muffle his noises into, had also been good… and, probably, an even better thing was to have a private bathroom as part of his cabin. Sometimes, summoner perks and pampering really did come in handy.
After cleaning up the sticky mess he'd just made, and after washing his hands at least three times and then his face and then his hands again, just to be sure, Ven put on a t-shirt as plain as his sweatpants and exited the cabin. Despite feeling so entirely relaxed now, he wasn't in the mood to return to sleep just yet. Actually, he wasn't even sure what hour it was… He recalled having gone to bed rather early, still so tired from adjusting to the presence of a fayth as strong as Ifrit, so maybe it wasn't even midnight. Quickly concluding that it didn't matter anyway, he made his way out to the deck and was glad to find there no other than his newest guardian.
Vanitas was perched on one of the few large cargo crates nearby, arms lazily under his head to serve as pillow as he contemplated the stars above. Ven climbed up as well and sat beside him, staying in silence for a bit longer.
"Are the stars here the same as at Radiant Garden?"
"Dunno, really… you can't really see the stars there. Too much artificial light at night."
"I see… it must be such a beautiful city. I'd love to go there."
"I can take you."
"And how would you do that?"
Good question, and Van didn't really have a good answer. Still, sitting up, he shrugged and offered his usual carefree smile. "If you really wanna go there, I'll find a way. Once you defeat Sin and everyone's at peace, we'll go there together."
"Would you take me to the stadium?"
"Of course! Once you see the Tempests playing, every team here in Spira's gonna look like amateurs to you."
"I could sit at the front row to cheer for you!"
"And every goal I score is gonna be for you."
"I think… I would really like that."
It wasn't lost on Van that the two of them were talking of their future plans in two different verb tenses… and the only reason he could come up with for that was that maybe Ven wasn't convinced it was possible to go to Radiant Garden. Which was fair, Van would give him that much.
"I'll find a way to take you there. Promise."
Ven answered with one of his sweet smiles, and Vanitas couldn't help but notice how different he looked when out of his usual clothes. Ventus always dressed in at least three layers, in an elegant mix of mostly white with bits of black and gray – elegant and graceful and fit for a summoner, Van supposed. Fit for the weight a summoner ought to carry. Maybe that was why, now that he was simply clad in a worn-out shirt and loose pants, messy bed-hair rather than perfectly brushed as usual, he looked smaller and younger and… in a way, he also looked happier. And happiness looked really good on him, Van also thought.
"Had a good dream or something? You're kinda glowing."
"Ah… well, yeah. I had a nice dream." He wasn't lying.
"What's it about?"
"…Don't really remember." Now he was lying.
"It's good that you're feeling better. Had us freaking worried for a while there."
"I'm sorry, I know… When he answered my prayers, Ifrit warned me he wasn't easy to bear. Guess I shouldn't have been overconfident."
"Is it gonna be like this? Like… every time you get an aeon, it's gonna hit you hard like this?"
"Probably. Maybe not like I'm burning alive, like Ifrit did at first… but there will always be side effects, I expect. The fayth are lending me a colossal power, after all. I shouldn't whine about it, and I should be grateful. I should be stronger."
"Ven, you're the strongest person I know. In every sort of way."
"Thank you, Vani. I guess… I just–"
"You just wish you could help more than you already do. I know that, too."
The laugh that followed was quiet but warmed his heart, and it felt like coming home after a long day. Ven leaned closer and left a kiss on Vanitas' cheek, before hopping down the crate to return to his cabin.
"Also… thank you for coming with us to Luca! I really like being with you."
The S.S. Winno landed soon before noon, as expected – thankfully, without any Sin-related incidents. Even before setting foot on Luca, Van was already amazed. This city was much larger than Kilika or Besaid, probably even larger than both combined. There was a crowd waiting for this ship and for a couple others that'd arrived as well, as they were bringing, from all over Spira, the blitzball teams that would be competing in the tournament. Soon, though, Van learned that there was more to it.
Apparently, one of the ships – the largest and loftiest one – also was bringing some very important Yevon people. It was Terra who was explaining it to him, as Aqua and Ven, respectively, tugged the both of them along by the hand in order to find a better spot up front.
"Grand Maester Ansem is the symbol of all the peoples of Spira. He presides over all the other maesters, and over all the temples of Yevon. This tournament is also to commemorate his fifty years as maester."
Sounded like a darn long time, and Van wasn't surprised when an elderly man made his appearance at the deck, escorted by warrior monks. He was bald, had a mop of silver-colored beard at his chin, and eyes of a golden shade disturbingly similar to Vanitas' own. Despite the age, though, he seemed agile enough as he followed along out of the ship and over the red velvety carpet that covered the dock's wooden ground. He then made a pause on his way to give the crowd a boring speech that Van didn't bother to pay attention to, instead focusing on someone else.
"Who's that one?"
Terra followed the direction Van was now hinting at, keeping his voice low. "Maester Xemnas. He's considered a prodigy, and was ordered maester at age 17. The youngest ever. Because of this, he's also referred to as Xemnas the Superior."
Looking at this man was hatred at first sight for Vanitas. First of all, that title was incredibly vain and self-absorbed. Who the hell would agree to being referred to as The Superior? He had golden eyes as well, and a mane of long hair in the same silver tone as the grand maester… but what irritated Van the most were his clothes. A flowing silky robe, with intricate patterns in a blend of black and white. To be fair, every other maester around him dressed similarly… but, somehow, Xemnas stood out. Right there and then, Van was really grateful that Ven had a much better fashion sense and didn't feel the need to wear the same kind of ridiculous attire that the Yevon people seemed so fond of.
Somehow, it was as though Xemnas had just read his mind.
Or maybe it was Van himself having a vain moment, but he could swear the maester was suddenly staring right at him. Shit… he really was, wasn't he? Not only he was staring, now he was actually walking closer… and the crowd collectively wiggled in anticipation, probably awaiting some kind of miracle. To everyone's surprise, Xemnas stopped at the front row – stopped right in front of Ven, offering the Yevon greeting and then a smile that was nothing if not unreadable.
"Summoner Ventus… son of High Summoner Eraqus. Am I correct?"
Ven was so stunned that, for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. Was the Superior really talking to him, face to face, in the middle of a crowd, having gone out of his way specifically for this…? Realizing he was being incredibly rude, though, he quickly offered the greeting back, as gracefully as he could.
"…Lord Xemnas! It is an honor!"
"The honor is mine. Your father was a true inspiration, someone well loved and respected by all Spira. We shall never forget what he has done for us… and we pray that Yevon will guard and protect you along the way, so that you can rise even higher than he did."
Saying this, Xemnas took Ven's hand and brought it to his lips, leaving a kiss on the back. He then bowed to Ven and, as if on cue, everyone else in the crowd bowed as well – and, if Ven forgot how to breathe before, now he felt downright about to swoon. Was this really happening…? Wasn't he still in bed, dreaming the whole thing…?
But one correction: everyone in the crowd bowed – except for Vanitas. Perhaps that was why Xemnas offered him another eerie smile as he resumed his way, or perhaps he was actually feeling the murderous rage being sent at him… because there was no other description for what Van was currently feeling. As Terra and Aqua cheerfully congratulated Ven, and then a sheer number of people began poking and prodding and asking questions, wanting to know who was the summoner who'd caught the Superior's eye like that, Van pushed his way through in the opposite direction – in severe need of a moment to calm down, before he did something he'd regret.
The enthusiasm at the locker room assigned to the Besaid Aurochs was moderate, at best. Despite their good intentions and hard work, the team had actually never won one single game, in over two decades ever since the start of the tournaments. Honestly, Van was appalled that a team could be this bad, but he was saving all comments to himself – especially after having learned that Terra was actually also in the team. To be fair, it was a secondary sort of hobby and, ever since Ven decided to become a summoner, Terra had been dedicating himself to being his guardian more than anything else. Which was why this year's tournament would also be his official retirement and, evidently, the team would like to see their captain go with a bang… but statistics were not in their favor.
This time, though, it seemed that at least the odds weren't completely against them. Having had the luck of the draw and avoiding an opponent in the first match, the Aurochs would only have to play two matches out of possible three. Which meant, if they managed to win over the Al Bhed Psyches, it'd grant them that precious pass to the final. They could at least dream, right? At least, for the twenty minutes or so that separated the current moment from the start of the match.
Having nothing better to do until then, Van went for a walk around the city, with Flood perched on his shoulder as usual. Unlike Kilika or Besaid, here there weren't many pets or wild-animals-running-from-the-woods around the streets to play with, so she was also fresh out of options for things to do. As soon as they got to the main street, though, Vanitas was surprised to see Ven's face being broadcasted live on the large screen above the stadium's entrance. One look around was enough for him to find the little pile of people gathered around the summoner, who was apparently being interviewed and answering questions about his pilgrimage, Sin, the tournament… and, of fucking course, what had happened with Xemnas.
Talk about salt on the wound.
Van's self-control, as he repeatedly talked himself out of going to crash that whole clownery and tell the world what he thought of their Superior, was eventually rewarded. As soon as the interview was concluded, Ven scurried away from the crowd and came over to Van instead, looking actually relieved now that it was just the two of them.
"You're really famous, huh?"
"It's a bit too much, sometimes… but I didn't wanna be rude."
"If I had a gil for every time you're too nice for your own good, I'd be rich by the end of the year."
Ven snickered at that, swiftly reaching in one of his pockets to pull out an actual coin that he placed on the palm of Vanitas' hand. "Well, there you go then. What are you gonna do with it?"
Well played. It was impossible not to smile at it, despite the lingering grumpiness. "Maybe I'll get you one of those balloons they're selling."
"Really? I want a green one!"
"Green it is, then."
Ven nodded in a way that spoke volumes about how he really expected to be offered a balloon, by the end of the tournament at most.
"Aren't you going to watch the match?"
"Yeah… but I'll be there in a bit." First of all, there was now a green balloon to buy. And… truth be told, Van still felt thrown-off by the whole Xemnas thing. Still. The stupid interview made it worse, by making him realize how the whole city seemed to have loved that ridiculous moment. And he really didn't want to admit he was bummed by any of this, so maybe a quick jog up and down the street, to burn that annoyance away, would be the smartest option. "You go on ahead, I'll meet you there."
"All right… but be careful to not get lost."
That was a valid concern, given how crowded the streets were and the fact it was Van's first time in Luca. He was fast to think of a solution, though. Slipping two fingers in his mouth, he whistled loudly.
"If we get separated, just whistle."
"…How do you do that?"
"Easy! Put your fingers in your mouth… like this. Then, you just blow."
Van remembered whistling like this pretty much since forever. It was likely the only good thing he'd ever learned from his father. Still, as Ven tried to follow the instructions and do the same, no sound came out and he looked more like he was blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. Laughing at how adorable that was, Van couldn't resist the urge to pat the summoner's head.
"It's not working…"
"Practice! If you can call aeons out of the skies, you can learn how to do it."
That was exactly the kind of motivational speech that Ven needed to get into it. He returned to the stadium, then, and Vanitas continued on his own way – now already feeling slightly less irritated, but still wanting to keep to himself for a little longer. Most people also started making their way to the stadium or to one café or the other, to watch the match on a sphere (which Ven thought looked really weird, and not at all as good as the actual televisions he was used to). He'd been sitting by the fountain in the middle of the square, entertained with the way Flood kept jumping in and out of the water, when Aqua suddenly came to find him in a hurry – and, from the look on her face, it wasn't to share good news.
"Where in Spira have you been? Ven was kidnapped!"
Yeah, no good news at all.
"What?"
"The Al Bhed Psyches… They left a note saying that, in exchange for his safe return, they want the Aurochs to lose."
"…Wait, what?"
How did that even make any sense…? Admittedly, Vanitas didn't know a thing about that other team… but he seriously doubted anyone could be worse than the Aurochs. Why would the Psyches go to such an extreme to force them to forfeit? Aqua herself didn't seem too convinced, either, despite the obvious glint of worry in her eyes.
"I know what you're thinking… Even Terra agreed that it's strange. But we can't take any chances. He'll be holding up the match for the time being, and we're gonna go find Ven. The Al Bhed ship is in dock 4, they must be holding him in there."
"Listen… who are these guys, anyway? Why are they screwing around like this?"
"The Al Bhed are a minority tribe. They speak their own language… and, unlike everyone else in Spira, they have forsaken the teachings of Yevon and they use the forbidden machina. You can easily tell them apart by their green eyes and the swirls in their pupils."
"Oh… so that's why Riku got so riled up."
"The Al Bhed tend to be avoided by most people, if not worse… so he probably thought you were trying to start something."
That made sense, even if Van wasn't too happy he'd come out as an ass like that. If the Al Bhed saw Yevon for the foolery it was, they already had something in common. Regardless, the moment really wasn't the best for idle chatting, so Vanitas and Aqua wasted no more time in starting up towards the docks. The streets were relatively easy to navigate, given that most people were already away to see the match… but, as they got closer to where the ship was, they had to fight their way through the machina units that had been sent to meet them. Nothing too difficult, especially with how Aqua's thunder spells made them short-circuit in a single hit.
As they reached the deck of the ship, however, they found the way obstructed by someone in a long, black leather coat. The hood was pulled back to reveal a young man probably of an age with Terra and Aqua, with long hair in a bright red color and green, swirly eyes that left no doubt about his Al Bhed heritage. His grin of amusement also spoke for itself, but he began clapping for them nonetheless – though in a rather condescending manner.
"Didn't expect you to get here this fast! You guys are good."
Aqua was far from impressed. In fact, she let out a deep sigh. "Lea… are you really doing this?"
"Hey, I'm just following orders here, sister. You know very well who's in charge."
The last thing Van might have expected was for Aqua to be acquainted with someone who'd kidnapped the person who meant the world to her… yet here they were now, bantering like old friends. Before he had a chance to comment on it, though, this Lea clearly had very different ideas for the remainder of the chat.
"Sorry Aqua… no hard feelings."
Saying so, he unceremoniously activated the lever nearby, bringing over a crane from which dropped a machina much larger than the ones they'd been fighting so far. Van and Aqua were soon realizing that the damn thing was also much tougher, and even the thunder spells weren't too effective against armor so thick. Matters weren't looking too great… and they looked even worse the moment a tremor rippled across the ship. It'd be just their luck, to get jumped on by Sin right now, wouldn't it?
What jumped, however, was something thankfully much different – as a fiery glyph began forming along the deck's floor, right where the machina was standing. No later than three seconds, that portion of the floor cracked and broke and, from underneath, Ifrit came roaring in a rather spectacular entrance. The aeon greatly damaged the machina already as he literally erupted from the ground like that, and then landed viciously on top of it with another loud roar – effectively reducing it to little else beyond scrap metal.
Sitting on Ifrit's shoulder, and having participated in the whole thing just now, was Ven – who then hopped off like it was nothing, to stand atop the destroyed machina as he gave Lea the glare of his life.
"Enough."
And Vanitas couldn't have stopped staring in awe even if his life depended on it.
Lea was staring as well, though his stare was more of a horrified one than anything else. Crying out loud, he ran over to cling to one of the machina's wrecked claws.
"My beautiful Oblitzerator! Do you know how many nights I spent awake in order to have it finished for today?"
"Too bad for you, then."
"Man, he's gonna kick my ass into the sun and back…"
With a deep sigh, Ventus hopped down the machina now, close to Lea. "Go home… and tell Roxas to stop this non-sense."
"Ven, he's doing this for you! To protect you!"
"Go home, Lea. And tell him I made my decision and I'm not changing it."
Though not interrupting, Aqua didn't look surprised by any of what was happening – much unlike Vanitas. Lea didn't look surprised by the attitude he was getting, either… but nor did he look ready to give up. In fact, he'd just materialized his weapons, a chakram in each hand, and turned to Ven with a suddenly much darker expression.
"He told me to bring you back, so you're coming with me… conscious or not."
To those bold, threatening words, the only thing Ven had to offer was the unimpressed creasing of his eyebrow. Just like that, Ifrit pounced again and landed now right on top of Lea – not nearly as violently as he'd done to the machina, but Lea still fell over heavily and with a loud oof!
"Are we done? The match must be already at half-time… and, if we lose because of this, I promise you that Roxas is gonna be the least of your worries."
For a brief instant, Lea seemed about to keep struggling to get free… but one look at Ven's expression sufficed to change his mind. Flopping back down, arms and legs sprawled open under the aeon's unyielding form, he very clearly admitted his defeat.
"…You both really do have the same scary temper. You're just better at hiding it."
Ven simply smiled at that, having Ifrit step aside but keeping him nearby just in case. Lea, however, had gotten the message. He stood up and hopped on top of the rail and, from there, down to the dock – running away with the wave of a wand and the same grin he'd started with.
"This ain't the last you'll see of me! Get it memorized!"
Ventus dismissed Ifrit, Aqua shoot up a ball of fire that exploded in the sky to act as Terra's signal to stop stalling and get to winning the match… and Van wondered if, finally, he'd be able to ask the long list of questions that were burning at the tip of his tongue.
"Who the hell was that guy…? How come you both know him? What about the whole kidnapping thing, what was that for and what's going on?"
Aqua and Ven exchanged a look between them. There was quite a lot to clarify, and it would have to happen before they could return to the stadium. Most of that story wasn't safe to be heard by other people, especially now that Ven was pretty much becoming a celebrity.
"That's Lea… we've known him for a while. He's from Bikanel Island, where the Al Bhed Home is. And… we know him because he's my brother's lover. Roxas."
"You have a brother…?"
"Twin brother, actually. He's younger by ten minutes but insists on calling me the baby."
Van had not been expecting any of that, in the slightest. But the dramatic family revelations were only just beginning.
"We grew up in Bevelle. Our mother had a weak heart and she died when we were still babies. Then, ten years ago… I stayed there with Aqua and Terra, but Roxas moved to Home to stay with our uncle Cid – our mother's brother. Roxas can't stand the Faith of Yevon, especially since our father's death, and we had a huge fight when I told him I wanted to be a summoner. He never accepted it and I don't think he ever will. So… apparently, he sent Lea to take me back home with him. The Psyches were in on it, so they came up with the idea of making this about the match, to not raise any suspicions."
…Right. Because someone threatening the Aurochs, of all teams, to get them to lose on purpose wouldn't even be suspicious. Still, Vanitas was focusing on something else.
"So… that Cid, your uncle – he lives with the Al Bhed?"
"Yes… he is one. As was our mother. And so are we, Roxas and I… well, we're half-Al Bhed, really."
"What…? But you don't have the eyes."
"I do. Most people think it's about the swirls… but, in fact, only those with Al Bhed blood have green eyes. They just may not be pureblood, like me. Roxas actually has blue eyes, but he has the swirls. He got the swirls, I got the green. Guess you can call us special like that."
Ven's smile was a nervous one, as if he expected something bad to happen now. Sensing this discomfort, Aqua gave his shoulder a reassuring little squeeze. "Not many people know of this. Lord Eraqus was disgraced after marrying Ven's mother… the maesters wouldn't accept that he loved an Al Bhed, and he probably would have been excommunicated if he didn't decide to become a summoner. Ironically, now they all bow to his statue and sing praise about him."
"Well, shit… what a mindfuck. I'd never have guessed any of that."
Despite being antsy just now, Ven had to laugh.
"If you ever meet Roxas, you're gonna be best friends. You both love your naughty words."
That comment was enough to break the rest of the tension.
"If that's so, then I like him better than you already, Your Holiness."
"How mean!"
"Anyway, why's he so… determined to bring you back? I get that the pilgrimage isn't easy, but isn't that what you got guardians for?"
Ven averted his gaze for a moment, before replying. "He's… overprotective. He's always been. But, hey… we should really go back, I wanna see Terra and the guys winning the game!"
Clearly, the Psyches were in for a bad day, if they were to really lose and then, on top of that, return to their ship to find it half-wrecked like this. The way back to the stadium went without any further incidents, now that Lea had called back the machina units as well, and they arrived just as the Aurochs were returning to the locker room. The big, wide smiles everywhere didn't leave room for doubts: they did win!
The literally historical victory came at a price, though. Having to hold back and just defend, till he was sure Ven was safe, Terra had also had to endure all the rough tackles from the Psyches. The end result was a collection of bruises a bit all over but, more worrying than that, the way he winced as he breathed was likely signaling for broken ribs. Ventus got to healing immediately, but it would take a while to mend broken bones.
"I'm sorry, Terra… if only my magic was stronger. If only none of this had happened to start with."
"It's not your fault, Ven. We know your brother by now."
"B-but I can't heal you in time… The team's gonna play the final match with one less player…"
Never a good prospect, let alone against the Luca Goers – current champions and playing at home, with the whole crowd to support them. Terra, however, despite still pensive, didn't look entirely worried. As it was, he looked like he had an emergency plan all figured out and about to be enacted. Turning to Vanitas, he placed a friendly pat on his back.
"My substitute is right here."
Van's eyes grew wide as saucers.
"…Me? You want me to play in your place?"
"Aren't you the star player of the Radiant Tempests?"
"I–"
"He is! Terra, you're a genius! He's gonna do so great!"
With eyes still wide, Van was now looking at Ven and then at Terra and then at Ven and then at Terra again.
"You really sure this is what you want…?"
"What, you're not up for it? So all that bragging really was for nothing?"
"Of course he's up for it! Actually, he's gonna score a goal and dedicate it to me!" Halting his healing for a moment, Ven turned to face Van with hands on his hips and a knowing grin on his face. "You didn't get me my balloon, so a goal is the least I'm expecting now. And the tournament cup!"
Just like that, Van was being handed an Aurochs uniform and tugged over to one of the stalls to change into it. Well then… looks like this was really happening! It was actually exciting, now that he coming down from the initial startle. Play a tournament's final in a full stadium, with every important person watching, being expected to carry the team on his back and score the winning goal? Yup, he'd definitely been there and done that. All things considered, this might be the easiest challenge presented to him ever since waking up in Spira. And if he was gonna have Ven cheering for him, all the more reasons to ace it.
Which, in all fairness, didn't prove to be as easy as Van's enthusiasm first made it out to be. The Aurochs team did suck, with players that were more amateurs than anything else, and it didn't help that Van was playing together with them for the first time and had no idea about their tactics. The Goers were also a problem, not only because they were clearly much more skilled and talented, but also because of their attitude – though, to be fair, this much only served to fuel Van's determination to win. There were few things he loved more than to rub a victory in the face of snotty, arrogant adversaries who'd underestimated him.
Getting to half-time at 0-0 wasn't bad, given the context.
And it wasn't good, given what Van wanted.
The Goers started the second half at a leisurely pace, as if to state they were in no rush and could win this whenever they wanted. The crowd seemed to appreciate it as well, with practically the entire stadium chanting for them and forgetting that the other team even existed. There was one person, however, who in the meanwhile had squeezed his way into the first row, and who was cheering for the Aurochs with all his might – and for their new star player, in particular. Van had eventually noticed that very familiar fluffy head, and that was all he needed to know there was no time left to play.
Literally, very little time left to play, because the match would end in exactly twenty-three seconds. Van was close enough to the goal to believe he had a chance at finally scoring… though with three defenders in between himself and the keeper. It was going to be his final chance definitely, their final chance, and so he knew what he had to do. The first defender tackled and he managed to dodge, just barely. And the other two looked ready enough for him, actually ready to make his ribs as cracked as Terra's – but, to their surprise and to the surprise of the whole stadium, he didn't head for them nor did he attempt to break through.
Van kicked the ball hard and it hit the second defender on the chest, moving him out of the way. The ball bounced back to Vanitas and he punched it this time, even harder, and it hit the third and final defender right on the gut. No one left between him and the goal, now. With a first spin, he then jumped up and actually out of the water for a moment, flipping in midair and diving back down right after – to kick the ball again. This time, it only stopped in the top left corner of the goal, with the Goers' keeper unable to do a thing about it.
Goal.
0-1 for the Besaid Aurochs.
Ten seconds later, the match was over and the crowd was experiencing quite the change of heart. The home team might have just lost… but Van's masterpiece of a goal was driving the stadium wild nonetheless. Even the commentators were beyond excited, half-yelling into the mics about how that had to be the best goal that Spira had ever seen, by a complete stranger no less, and what a way for the Aurochs to win their first trophy ever.
For a moment, as everything unfolded around him like this, Van felt like he was back home.
The awards ceremony would follow soon, so the players had a short break to shower and get prepared for it – and, of course, to start celebrating already. Or to go and cry in shame in the corner, in the Goers' case. Vanitas found himself practically swallowed by his teammates, in between cries of cheer and pats on the back and begging for him to teach them that shot, and Terra himself was wearing the widest smile Van had ever seen on him. Aqua actually gave him a tight hug, of the sort she tended to save for Ven only, and it wasn't long before the locker room's door was being pounded at by a legion of newly gained fans and rabid journalists.
Much as he was loving the current rush of joy and triumph, however, Van asked the rest of the team to handle the hysteria. It was their victory, after all – he might have scored the goal that decided the match and made everyone's jaw hit the floor, but not even he was as self-absorbed as to take this moment away from them. Especially from Terra. After a quick few words to one lucky journalist, then, and also because he knew it wouldn't be a wise idea to reveal too much of who he was and where he came from, Van excused himself back into the locker room. His job was done, roasting the Goers like that had felt fucking amazing, and now a nice hot shower was all he wanted.
And, indeed, the moment he was under that jet of water, it felt like heaven. The Goers might not hit as hard as he could remember from a couple other teams back in Radiant Garden, but they had still been eager enough. There was a dark bruise on his right side and he could feel another on his shoulder blade, but nothing serious and they should be faded in a couple days. Maybe even less than that, if Ven noticed and insisted on wasting his magic on healing something so unimportant. And, speaking of Ven…
"There you are! I looked everywhere for you, you–"
Despite the mood having calmed down outside, likely because the fans and journalists had already followed the team to where the cup ceremony would take place, a very thrilled summoner had just entered the locker room… And only had the chance to take one good look at Vanitas, dripping water from the shower and naked save for the towel wrapped around his waist, before all color drained from his face and then rushed to his cheeks all at once.
"…I'M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY!"
Turning back around so fast that he almost skidded in place, Ven promptly hid his face in his hands – even if that didn't really do much, considering he was already looking away anyway.
"I'm sorry, that was so rude of me! Just barging in like this, I– I didn't know… y-you were still… I'm so sorry, I didn't even knock!"
Van couldn't say that he wasn't surprised – mainly, because indeed Ventus had just popped in there like that, without a forewarning. His amusement was far greater, however – especially because he also had no qualms with being seen right after a shower.
"You done apologizing?"
"I– I just wanted t-to tell you they're starting the ceremony soon… S-so… we should hurry!"
"It's all right. I'm not going, anyway."
Despite still wishing to bury himself in a hole, Ven peeked tentatively over his shoulder. "Why not…?"
Van just shrugged, grabbing another towel to start drying up his hair. "I'm not in the team. I just substituted Terra for one game because he was injured. It's their victory."
"It's yours, too! They actually asked me to come get you before it starts!"
That made Van smile, he couldn't lie. It was very nice to finally be accepted, even if it came through uncanny circumstances.
"Well… guess I can drop by, then. At least it'll be fucking hilarious to see the Goers drag their feet to get their teeny little second place medals."
Ven seemed pleased by that, and he turned around yet again and walked closer. And, whereas he still looked like a fish out of water, he wasn't forcing himself to look away anymore – if anything, now staring at Vanitas with quite some intensity.
"…Good. Hurry up, then."
"Hey, star players are always fashionably late."
"Guess you really weren't exaggerating about that, huh? I've never seen anyone playing like that… not even Terra."
"I did promise you a goal."
"And what a goal that was!" Ven smiled widely, a bit more at ease again. "That… was the Xehanort shot, wasn't it?"
"…How do you know that?"
"He showed it to me, when I was little! He called it The Sublimely Magnificent Xehanort Shot Mark III."
Suddenly, it was Van's mood dropping like a heavy brick. Of course, the one time he achieved such a victory, it'd still be his freaking father taking at least half the credit. Rolling his eyes, he tossed the towel at the nearest hamper a bit too harshly.
"Fucking lame, isn't it? There's not even a Mark I or Mark II. He just wanted a stupid random name."
Ven did regret bringing up the topic, still not used to how much Vanitas seemed to hate his own father… but wasn't about to let it put a damper on the special moment. His hands went to gently cup Van's cheeks and he made him look up again.
"This isn't about Xehanort, though. It's about you. You were absolutely amazing, you scored that goal, you won this cup."
Sighing at first, Van eventually also decided it wasn't worth being upset about. Not right now. Certainly not when Ventus was this close to him.
"There's one thing my old man will never have, anyway."
"And what's that?"
"You cheering for him during a match."
It was Ven's turn to exhale a shaky little sigh, and they were so close that Van could smell his breath – it was a strange but fitting mix of mint and vanilla.
"Remember what I said… about… my first kiss? With you?"
"Yeah…?"
"I haven't changed my mind."
Turns out it hadn't been just the fever speaking, after all. And Flood might end up accidentally demolishing the stadium but, this time, Vanitas wasn't about to let the chance go to waste again. His hands went to Ven's slender hips, and they settled there so naturally that it was more like they'd been doing this all their lives. He leaned in and so did Ven and their noses bumped at first, but it only took an instant for their heads to align and for their lips to find each other. They met gently, but it was more than enough for Van to feel a spark of electricity running down his spine. Ven's lips were impossibly soft, soft and warm and perfect, and he decided right there and then that he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life kissing these lips. He decided he wanted more actually, and so he experimentally poked at them with his tongue, quietly asking for entrance – and his stomach did a little flip when they so willingly parted. His tongue ventured in and, for the next few seconds, he explored every inch of Ven's mouth – his pearly white teeth, the roof of his mouth, and, of course, his tongue as well. There was a flavor that he couldn't quite place, but that had him addicted to it immediately.
Kissing Ven was like coming back home after a long day.
As their lips parted, Ventus made himself breathe again. One of his hands stayed on Van's cheek, the other slid gently to the side and into the mane of unruly black hair, still damp. There was something suddenly so familiar about this gesture, and it filled him with nostalgia as much as it did with puzzlement.
"You know… you were wrong."
"Huh?"
"It was a big deal."
His chest actually felt a bit like a can of soda that'd been shaken too much before opening. And there was a feeble little voice at the back of his head, reminding him of how terrible an idea this was… reminding him that a summoner should never allow himself this kind of attachment. Quickly, he let that voice drown in the joy he was feeling. At least for now.
"That's 'cause it was with you. It was never a big deal with anyone else."
"So… I'm special?"
"You bet you are. You're really fucking special."
Saying this, Van leaned in to steal another quick kiss, this time just lips on lips, as Ven snickered.
"Can't believe I let you kiss me with that mouth."
"Yeah? I for one think a little sin looks really great on you."
Ven rolled his eyes playfully and stepped back – but not before taking one last kiss, himself.
"I'll wait outside… Hurry up or we'll miss the cup for good!"
Though the whole thing ended far too soon for his liking, Vanitas definitely had no will to complain. In fact, part of him was having trouble to believe it'd just happened for real… He'd really just kissed Ven, and Ven had really just kissed back. Between this and the tournament, it really was the best day ever, so far.
So far.
Because, of course, it'd reached the point where things were too good to last.
Van swiftly changed back to his usual clothes, and the two of them hurried over to where the ceremony seemed to have already started… only to be interrupted midway, as screams and cries began echoing from the stadium seats. People were now fleeing in panic, and the reason for it made itself apparent a brief moment later – fiends. Fiends that had somehow made their way into the city and into the stadium, and were now terrorizing the citizens.
"…How can this be?"
Ven didn't wait for answers for his own question. Hopping down a few steps along the stands, he found an area suitable for summoning and called forth Valefor – who darted down from among the clouds and started immediately tearing at every fiend in her path. Terra and Aqua joined them as well, because the whole awards ceremony was all but foiled at this point, and Van also wasted no further time in materializing Wayward Wind. The four of them were doing decent damage, though these fiends were stronger and tougher than any other they'd fought up until now… And the damn things seemed to be relentlessly spawning, with no end in sight. It wouldn't be long before they were overwhelmed, at this rate.
A glyph suddenly being formed along the ground caught their attention, though. The three of them looked at Ven, wondering if he was about to also call on Ifrit to help, but the summoner looked just as puzzled – not only that was a glyph he did not recognize and couldn't associate with any temple in Spira, it was also much larger than usual.
Before he could crack the mystery, a gigantic chain descended from above and pierced the ground with a rumble that nearly had the four of them falling over. With wide eyes, they watched as the chain pulled, from seemingly the Underworld itself, a massive creature that could easily put most nightmares to shame. It was trapped in a sort of cocoon and had thick chains and worn-out bandages wrapped around its arms and torso, as well as human arms also wrapped tightly around its neck – from where hung a long medallion, with the engraving of a person that was far too faded to be recognizable.
To say it was impressive wouldn't even begin to do it justice. Impressive, terrifying, insanely powerful. It attacked in a manner that was just as uncommon and as ghastly, concentrating energy in its single, green, blood-stained eye before shooting it all around. Each strike immediately reduced a fiend to pyreflies, even the larger ones that Valefor herself had trouble to fight back, and the arena was growing clear again at a very fast pace. And above the creature… they could now notice Maester Xemnas, standing at the balcony reserved for the stadium's very important guests. This creature was his aeon.
Aqua and Terra could only stare helplessly, in a mix of awe and actual dread. Vanitas himself hated to admit… but a power of this kind was to be respected. Maybe Xemnas wasn't all just talk and stupid robes, after all.
On the other hand… Ven was experiencing the whole display much differently. He'd been the first to understand it was an aeon, unsurprisingly – but this fayth was unlike anything he'd ever sensed before. This was a horribly tortured soul, enslaved by a grief much heavier than its chains… The sorrow that emanated from this aeon was so dense that he could almost grab it out of the air itself. Its aura was horrible, stifling, heartbreaking… and, all of sudden, Ven found himself drowning in memories. Not memories such as a person's face or the image of a night a long time ago – rather, memories of agony and despair. Memories of mourning… memories of a tragedy that had no real shape nor form, but that was suddenly consuming him so wholly. As if this grief was his own. As if he was becoming grief, himself.
Whose feelings are these?
Are you calling for me?
Who are you…?
Somehow, among the screams that were gradually subsiding and the ethereal whispers of the pyreflies as they faded, Van heard the clattering of a staff rolling down a few steps of the stadium stands.
When he turned around to look, Ven was lying unconscious on the ground.
Ven woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. There was the soft ticking of a clock nearby, somewhere on his right, and the room smelled of a flowery incense – jasmine, probably. His body felt oddly light, but still a few seconds went by before he made himself sit up.
"…Hey! Easy there, you need rest."
Vanitas had been sitting near the pendulum clock, now walking closer to sit on the edge of the bed instead.
"What happened…?"
"You tell me. You blacked out just like that. Gave me the fucking scare of my life, too…"
Frowning, Ventus took a moment to put the pieces together. The tournament, the locker room, the fiends, and… Ah, yes. Of course.
"Maester Xemnas' aeon… The fayth, it– I could feel it so well… A soul in so much pain, so much sorrow and grief. I couldn't stand feeling someone in such suffering…"
Van wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or more worried, after this answer. Though, in a way, he could understand what Ven was talking about – even if he was no summoner, himself, and had no clue how to connect with the fayth and all that. Somehow, that thing's presence was so paramount that even he had been able to feel it.
"I know… pretty freaking creepy, if you ask me. What aeon is even like that?"
"I… I don't know. I never saw anything like it in any of the books I've read, and that glyph wasn't from any temple in Spira. Or… not any temple that I know, at least."
Again, Van wasn't sure if this was good or bad. What he was certainly sure of, though, was that he felt much better now that Ven was awake. His heart had skipped at least ten beats, when he'd turned around to find him out cold like that. Taking one of the summoner's hands, he kissed the knuckles gently.
"Doesn't matter, anyway. It was creepy as hell and that's it. Now, how are you feeling?"
"I'm all right… sorry for making you worry. Is everyone else safe?"
"Yeah, the aeon made quick work out of all the fiends."
"There's that, at least… though I'm sure a lot of people were wounded."
"All those fancy maesters are already on it. So you're gonna stay here and rest and let them handle it, even if I have to tie you to the bed."
That succeeded in putting a smile on Ven's face.
"It was a… quite eventful day. To say the least."
"All in all, I still think it's a good one. Though my favorite part was the locker room."
Perfect excuse to do it again, wasn't it? Vanitas brushed back Ven's bangs, leaving a kiss on his forehead and then another on his lips – glad to see how welcome it was, and how the summoner so promptly kissed back.
"Really? More than the goal?"
"I'm still gonna score a shitload of goals more. But taking your first kiss? That's one I'm gonna brag about forever."
"Oh, so you did it for the bragging only! I see how it is, Mister Star Player."
"If you're so offended, we can just never do it again."
"…Don't you dare!"
Ven actually looked so serious when he said this that Van had to laugh. That and he also had to take a couple more kisses, even though having just threatened to do exactly the opposite.
"Look what I've done! I've ruined your chastity!"
"…Shut up, Vani. It's not my fault you're an amazing kisser."
"How would you know? You never kissed anyone else." And I wouldn't mind if you never do, from here on.
"Fair enough… but I still think you're great at it. And I'm really glad I didn't accidentally bite off your tongue or anything like that."
"Oh, so you're a biter? I'll remember that for the next first time."
That earned him an actual playful bite on his shoulder, and Van couldn't even say he hadn't deserved it. He also couldn't say he hadn't enjoyed it.
"You're terrible! Get out of my room and go make yourself useful!"
Ven's grin was a good enough hint that he might be smacked with a pillow, next.
"Yes, Your Holiness!"
Standing up, Van saluted with an expression as serious as he could keep, and then left the room – if nothing else, wanting to go find Terra and Aqua to let them know Ven was awake and well. He didn't even make it to the end of the corridor, however, before stopping on his tracks as he saw someone else making his way up the stairway.
Xemnas.
Well, of course… He'd helped them with Ven back at the stadium, and actually offered the suite he was saying at, in the Luca hotel, for the summoner to rest till he was recovered. It was only fair if now he came to see how things were… but Vanitas still couldn't bring himself to like this man. It was one thing to admire his power and his aeon for what they were – it was another thing, completely different, to not be unnerved by his presence. Still, not wishing to be rude given the situation, he made himself offer a polite nod of the head as they came face to face.
"Maester Xemnas."
"Sir Guardian. How is Lord Ventus feeling?"
"He's awake already. He'll be fine again after a good night of rest."
"I see."
Short and civil, and Van was totally okay with that. He was already taking the first step down the stairs when the maester's voice stopped him again.
"It must be hard for you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Having to live with the guilt."
…The hell? Frowning, he looked back at Xemnas.
"What're you on about?"
The maester gave one of his unreadable smiles. The one that always made him look like he knew of secrets that the rest of the world ignored.
"Your father, of course."
Maybe he did.
"What about my father? My father's dead."
"Is he?"
"…Yeah, he is. He died ten years ago."
"I remember hearing the news. Your father, Xehanort, was Lord Eraqus' guardian, was he not?"
"Guess he was. I wasn't here to see, but Ven said so. But it could've been just someone else with the same name."
"Someone else from Radiant Garden?"
This was exactly why Van couldn't stand this man. This air of superiority. This condescendence. This looking at you from the top of his high horse. This talking in riddles. Reminding himself to not make a scene, for Ven's sake, he had to be content with curling his hands into fists.
"Are you gonna call me a liar, too?"
"On the contrary. I believe you. If you're here today, it's because Sin wanted to bring you from Radiant Garden to Spira."
"…Why would Sin do that? Why would Sin want me here?"
"Haven't I already said it? Your father. Sin is your father."
For a moment, Vanitas wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh really loudly or to scream even louder. What the actual fuck…? Before he could weave a proper reaction though, or just any sort of reaction at all, Xemnas was already knocking on Ven's door – walking in as soon as he was welcomed, and leaving on his wake yet another cryptic smile.
Why would he even say something like that? It didn't make any sense!
His father was Sin? How could Xehanort be Sin?
That was impossible.
Impossible.
It had to be impossible.
Right…?