A/N: I am aware (after a lot of confusion) that Sora is approximately three or four when all the trouble with Ven actually finishes, making Ven about 13 (only a guess, as I haven't been able to find out his age so far). My ages don't go with that, but seeing as it's a UA anyway, hopefully it won't matter to anyone too much.
(Again, another oversight I should have been more careful about)
Oh yeah, and the education system goes by the UK. I have no idea how the US education system goes or from what ages, so you'll have to put with with my English style instead *goes off to drink tea and eat crumpets while chanting 'God save the Queen'*
The two of them sat on the beach, Ventus crosslegged and watching as Sora made a sandcastle beside him. Sora finished it off by placing a flag on top, and straightened, looking proud of his work.
"There! And that's how you make a sand castle!" Sora proclaimed, grinning widely.
Ventus inspected the castle, tilting his head curiously. It certainly was rather artistic.
Ventus gave a vague frown then reached down a different bit of sand, trying to copy Sora's castle. He poured a bunch of sand on top of another bunch of sand, then smoothed the sides, creating a slope.
He looked between the two, seeming a bit disheartened as he realised his looked nothing like Sora's. Sora noticed his expression and patted his arm.
"It's okay, Ven! It's really good for your first time!" he said, smiling brightly. Ventus glanced at him, tilting his head slightly, and Sora's smile widened. "Really!"
A shadow blocked out their vision and Ventus glanced up, gazing at the three kids standing above him.
"Whoa, what's that? A mole hill?" asked the one at the front, snorting. The other two laughed as well, and Sora stood, pouting angrily.
"It's not a mole hill! It's a sand castle!" he replied hotly.
"A..sand castle?" the second asked, the three of them staring at it, then laughing even louder.
"That's not a sand castle!" the third snorted.
"And even if it was, it's an ugly one. And ugly sand castles should be demonlished, right?" the first said, before kicking the sand over.
Ventus gazed at it a moment, then tilted his head. So...what exactly did that accomplish?
Sora, however, looked angry. "You can't just do that!" he cried.
"Why not? It's just a bit of sand, he'll get over it," the third said with a snort.
"So, what's this? This yours?" asked the first, standing next to Sora's.
"Heh, not bad for a little kid," the second said, shrugging.
Sora looked a little happier. "You think so?" he asked.
"Yeah, I guess," the first mused, before giving a grin and kicking it.
Sora stared in dismay as his sand castle was trodden to bits. Then he looked at the boy. "W-Why did you do that?" he asked, hurt lacing his voice.
"Sorry. Guess my foot slipped," the boy said with a nasty grin, and the other two laughed with him. Sora gazed at his demolished sand castle, fighting the tears that were welling up in his eyes.
"Aww, is the little baby crying?" asked the third, mimicking him.
"No!" Sora replied, but his voice cracking a tear running down his cheek gave him away.
"You're such a baby, Sora. Grow up already," the second said with an eye roll.
Sora gazed at the floor, biting his lip.
Ventus looked at him in concern. He didn't like seeing Sora crying. It felt wrong to see this constantly cheerful boy looking upset. Still, he couldn't understand why Sora was crying, so he couldn't comfort him.
The first boy stepped forward. "Look at him, sobbing like a little baby. You're a little cry-baby Sora, aren't you?" he mocked.
"Go away..." muttered Sora.
"Oooh, picking a fight, are we?"
"I just want you to go away! Please?"
"Oh, so now he's polite. Should have remembered that the first time, Sora!" the boy said, shoving Sora back. Sora stumbled a little before hitting the ground with a bump.
Ventus blinked, then frowned. If there was one thing he knew, it was that hurting others was not something that should be done, or that you should be proud of.
The boy started laughing, the other two joining him.
"What's the matter Sora? You gonna cry for mummy?" laughed the first. Sora felt his cheeks heating up, tears coming to his eyes again. He hated this...he was always humiliated like this, and it hurt...
Suddenly Ventus stood, and the boys quickly cut their laughter, stumbling back. Ventus' eyes were shining with anger as he stood infront of Sora, sheilding him from them.
"Leave alone," he said strongly.
The first boy, being the oldest at five years old, was immediately intimidated by this big eight year old boy with angry eyes. He quickly turned and ran, his friends following.
Ventus watched them go then looked at Sora, kneeling down. He tilted his head, gazing at him curiously.
"You..alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Sora mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Ventus glanced down, noticing that he had a grazed knee. He frowned, vaguely remembering from somewhere that if cuts or grazes got dirty, they could really hurt. Sora's knees were covered in sand, so he'd probably gotten some in. He wouldn't be surprised if it hurt.
He stood up, bending down and easily lifting Sora up. Sora glanced at him in surprise, but he just smiled.
"We...build again? Tomorrow?" he suggested.
Sora blinked, then smiled. "Okay," he said happily, before Ventus carried him home.
When Keiko came home that evening, Sora was happily chatting away with Ventus in the kitchen, and Ventus was replying to some of the things he said. She blinked, wondering what had happened. Then she saw the plaster on Sora's knee and frowned.
"Sora? What happened? You're injured," she said, going into mothering mode.
"It was nothing, Mummy. Some boys were being mean, but Ven told them to go away and they did!" Sora explained with a grin. Keiko glanced quickly at Ventus, who gazed at her blankly for a moment before giving a shy smile. She stiffened, realising it was the first time he had actually smiled at her.
For a moment the two of them gazed at each other, then Keiko relaxed, a smile coming to her lips.
"Well, thank you for that, Ventus," she said, crossing over to him and kissing him on the forehead. He looked at her in surprise, then his smile widened, and she was glad that they were finally getting through.
Maybe, one day, Ventus would even talk to her too.
"Ven? What do you think stars are made out of?" four year old Sora asked one night as they lay on the beach, gazing up at the sky.
"Um..well, some people say they're balls of gas, and others say they're loved ones watching over you. But I think they're other worlds," Ventus replied.
"Other worlds?"
"Right. I mean, we live on Destiny Islands, but who's to say that there isn't another world out there that we've never even seen?"
"Wow...I would love to see another world!"
"Yeah, it'd be pretty cool. Maybe one day we'll go together?"
Sora nodded, grinning. "It's a promise!" he said happily.
Ventus smiled, then went back to gazing up at the sky.
For a while the two lay in silence, then Ventus glanced at him again. "You're starting school tomorrow, right?"
"Uh huh.." Sora replied, shivering in anticipation.
"Don't worry. I'll be with you, so you don't need to be afraid," Ventus soothed, taking his hand.
The nearest school was further inland, so they would have to take the bus. There were a few other people who lived in their village that took the bus too. It was Ventus' first time starting school too, and he'd had to be home tutored to get him back up to a normal ten year old's standard, but he would be starting Year 7 in High School, while Sora was starting Year 1 in Primary School. Although the schools were pretty close together - thus why they shared the same bus - it was still nervous for Sora to actually be somewhere without Ventus.
"I hope it's okay. I hope they don't all hate me, at least," Sora murmured.
"It'll be okay," Ventus assured him, before smiling. "After all, our hearts are connected, right? We're always together, no matter where we are."
Sora glanced at him then grinned. "Right! So if you have any trouble, just call me!" he said.
"Wha..hey! That's my line!" Ventus cried, and Sora laughed. After a moment, Ventus joined in.
Eventually, Ventus sat up. "Come on, we better get back in. Early day tomorrow," he said, standing up. Sora gave a tired yawn, sitting up and gazing around blearily. Ventus sighed then reached down and picked him up, allowing Sora to curl against his chest and fall asleep. Ventus rolled his eyes then headed back to the house, reassured by Sora's warmth and heartbeat.
Sora entered the classroom warily. A few other students were already there, and he went to a quiet corner, sitting down and hoping to remain unnoticed.
Other students began to arrive, saying goodbye to their parents. Some didn't want to let go, clinging and wanting to go back home, but eventually they were left and they settled in easily.
Sora's gaze dropped. His own mummy was busy, so she'd wished him good luck with her magical kiss on the forehead and made him a special lunch. Ventus had taken him all the way to the classroom door, hugged him goodbye, then hurried out so that he could get to school on time.
Maybe, if he'd had a daddy, he would have been able to say goodbye like all these other children...
"Why're you sittin' in a corner by yourself?"
Sora jumped at the unexpected voice, turning to see a boy with silver hair and aquamarine eyes gazing at him. The boy tilted his head, looking curious.
"Well?" he asked again, though his tone sounded merely curious.
"I'm just...a little shy, I guess," Sora mumbled, his gaze sliding to the ground.
"Oh. Guess that makes sense," the boy agreed. "My name's Riku. What's yours?"
"Sora."
"Nice to meet you, Sora," Riku said with a quick grin, before he wandered off to go talk to some other kids.
Sora felt a little bit happier. At least one person was nice here...
A/N: And everything blows over next chapter.
Review?