Here's the third chapter! Once again, it's not pure TerrAqua, but the next chapter will be 100% centred on them, I promise :)
Enjoy !


XXIII. Cat

"Ven. Could you explain this, please?"

The boy blushed a little.

"I don't know.
- You don't know how the couch got ripped open?! said an annoyed Terra, pointing to the slashed furniture.
- No, I don't know." repeated the child, though he couldn't look his father in the eye.

Terra kneeled down before his son and gave him a stern gaze.

"Ventus, you know that if there's one thing I can't stand, it's lying. Everyone makes mistakes, but you have to deal with the consequences."

The little blond waddled, growing increasingly ill at ease.

"But if I tell you, you won't be happy...
- Maybe, but you'd be honest.
- Well, uh... in fact..."

A high pitched meowing interrupted Ven, who hid his head in his hands and started crying loudly. Terra abruptly got up, before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, Ven..."

The boy lifted up his face towards the adult in front of him, tears rolling on his cheeks.

"Well... show me this animal."

Hiccupping, the kid resigned himself and went to his room, his father following him. As expected, a cat was lying on the bed ; he got up as soon as Terra and Ven closed the door, staring at them with golden orbs. His raven fur seemed dirty, and he was way too thin.

"Meet Vani, whispered Ven as he sat next to the cat, who greeted him by asking him to be stroked. I found him on the street a few days ago after school. And he was sad and starving, and I couldn't leave him that way..."

Ventus turned towards Terra, clearly sad.

"P-Please, dad, don't make me abandon him. He-he needs a family a-and food and-
- Ventus, I never talked about dumping this poor creature on the street, reassured the brown haired man. But you need to understand you can't bring pets home just like that, without asking."

Pressing Vani closer, Ven nodded, his eyes still wet. Suddenly, a feminine voice broke the silence :

"Honey! Ven! I'm ho- WHAT IS THIS ?"

Ventus winced.


"Aqua, you can't be serious ! We can't keep this cat.
- And why not? wondered the blue haired woman while setting the table. Ven has always liked pets. And it would give him some responsibilities, he's going to be seven in a few months.
- But sweetheart, taking care of a cat is a lot of work, and it's not as affectionate as a dog... protested Terra, who was peeling potatoes.
- You're only saying that because you don't like cats."

The man rolled his eyes ; his spouse gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Nothing to do with that.
- Terra, I think we can trust Ven, he'll know how to take proper care of him, and we'll help him if he needs it.
- I don't know...
- Listen, we can't send that cat back to the streets anyways. I have an idea : we keep him for a week, and we see how Ven handles him, okay?"

Terra sighed, before scratching his neck. Aqua quietly chuckled ; she knew her husband was pretending to be studying her proposition, but had already made up his mind. In the end, he muttered :

"You sure know how to win me over, huh.
- Well of course, after all these years! I take it for a yes, then?
- Yeah..."

A small cry of happiness was heard. The two adults exchanged an amused look, then Aqua went to open the door on an overexcited Ventus, who was tightly holding Vani against his chest. The boy blushed when his mother looked at him.

"Since when are you eavesdropping?"


"I told you we could trust him.
- True, sweetheart."

Sitting on their new couch, Aqua and Terra were tenderly watching their son, lying on the carpet, reading a comic while absent-mindedly petting his cat. It had been three weeks since the couch incident, and the pet had quickly changed. Since the bath Ventus had given him - he was the only one Vani had allowed to do so -, his fur was shining ; and now that he was properly fed, he seemed much healthier.

"But it seems you still don't like Vani.
- He's the one who doesn't like me!"

Aqua burst into laughter. It was true that between the three of them, Vani clearly showed a preference for Ven. He sometimes asked Aqua to pet him, but seemed to avoid Terra - that is, when he didn't try to scratch him.

"Well, it'll come in time. And it's Ven's cat, and he likes him, that's what matters, no?"

The brown haired man nodded. After all, what were a few scraches against the pleasure of seeing his son falling asleep while hugging his beloved pet, looking so happy and peaceful?