A/N: If you haven't already noticed, I posted some important backstory in the spin-off series, "Icebreaking: Between the Cracks". Sorry for the long wait with this chapter; hopefully it won't take me as long with the next one. This is Xion's POV.
Aqua's the best. Even though we're just going ice skating, she's helped me get ready like a fairy godmother would work her magic on a princess before the ball. Well, minus the dresses and literal magic, but that's what it feels like.
She's already helped me decide what to wear, a lavender button-up shirt and dark jeans, and now she's fixing my hair. It's so short there's not much I can do with it, but she braids my bangs and keeps them back with a bobby pin, something I never would've thought of.
"You're amazing, Aqua," I say, staring at myself in the mirror while she organizes her makeup on the counter. "I didn't think you knew this much about…" Girly stuff is what I want to say, but considering how much Terra teases her…
Aqua smiles, understanding anyway. "I can be a girl sometimes."
"Just sometimes?" I tease. She gives me an annoyed look, but I can tell it's fake.
"Hold still, I'm going to give you a little makeup."
I close my eyes. Normally I don't wear makeup… It's not that I don't want to, I just never asked Aqua for help with it. I wonder if that was a mistake.
The powder feels weird on my face, and I want to swat Aqua's hands away out of reflex, but I force myself to stand still. Maybe under other circumstances, but today is different.
"All done," Aqua declares after a few minutes of applying different products to my face. I open my eyes and gasp at my reflection.
I still look like me, but… different. Just a little older, and my eyes look a little brighter. Or maybe that's just because I'm happy.
"…Wow." I hope Axel likes it.
Aqua smiles proudly. "Never underestimate your big sister."
"I won't," I promise. For some reason it feels like I'm taking an oath to be inducted into Girlhood. That wounds weird; "Womanhood" sounds better… but I don't feel like a woman yet. Maybe if I grow a few inches. "Where did you learn how to do all this?"
"Aerith," she replies, now brushing her own hair. Of course; Aerith is Aqua's best girl-friend, which is kind of funny since Aerith is Zack's girlfriend. Aqua and Zack stopped dating on good terms, though. I don't know how she handles all her relationships – friends, family, and boys – so gracefully.
"I'm really glad you're my sister, Aqua." I smile at her through the mirror, and she smiles back, almost ruffling my hair. Instead she laughs and gives me a hug.
"So am I, Xi." She grins playfully. "And I'm sure Axel will be glad you're his date tonight."
"Aqua!" I blush. "I told you not to tease me about that!"
She goes back to brushing her hair, but the grin stays. "I wasn't teasing. That was a compliment."
I shuffle my feet in embarrassment – Aqua dressed me in heeled boots even though we'll have to change into ice skates. I don't mind; they make me feel taller, and I always want to be a little taller around Axel.
"Well, Terra will be glad you're his date, too."
Aqua smiles. "He'd better be. It's taken him long enough to ask me out."
"How did he ask you out, anyway?" I ask out of curiosity.
She rolls her eyes, but she looks more amused than annoyed. "He teased me about being a girl, then started acting nervous, and finally he asked if I wanted to go on a date with him."
It's hard to picture Terra being nervous, but he always acts different around Aqua. He tries to show off more, but he also acts more like a gentleman… kind of like Axel is around me. But for all I know he acts like that all the time. Plus I've never seen Axel look nervous, except when he told me how Larxene dumped him, and that was a special circumstance.
"How long have you liked him like that?" I ask while Aqua puts the finishing touches on her makeup.
"Hmm… since a few years ago? I didn't entirely realize it until I dated Zack."
"Oh." I sigh a little on the inside. Maybe it's not realistic to think Axel's the only one for me when I've never gone on a date with him or anyone else before… but I still can't bring myself to doubt my feelings. "How do you feel about him? Terra, I mean."
She smiles, closing a fist and holding it to her heart in that unconscious habit she has. "He might not look like it, but he's soft on the inside. He doesn't really understand girls, and he can be a dork." Her smile twitches. "But his heart is in the right place. I wouldn't want him any other way."
"So you love him?"
Her face goes a little pink, and not just from the powdered blush she'd applied. "I think you're heard enough about me and Terra. What about you and Axel?"
"Wh-what about us?" I stammer. Looking in the mirror, I notice that at least I've managed to keep down my blush this time. I'll have to practice that skill a lot tonight.
She shrugs. "Did he act any different around you today?"
"Well…" I sigh, my head drooping. "No. I mean, we're just going on this one date, and he said it's nothing serious, he's not my boyfriend so it's not like he's supposed to or anything…"
"Xion, don't worry." Aqua kneels down to my eyelevel, smiling encouragingly. "He's probably just as nervous as you are, and Father doesn't want you steady dating so soon, anyway. It's better that he doesn't act like your boyfriend."
Aqua's so annoying when she's right. Which is pretty much all of the time. Still, I can't imagine dating anyone but Axel. I've never even had a crush on anyone else.
"Wait, what do you mean he's as nervous as me?" I ask to change the subject.
"Boys pretend they're not nervous to protect their dignity." She half-grins. "Or their "manly pride" as Terra says."
"I don't know. Axel told me not to be nervous." I frown, confused.
Aqua doesn't have time to answer, because Vanitas barges into the bathroom, slamming the door into the wall.
"Why are you so pretty?" He demands, putting his hands on his hips. I have to bite my lip to keep myself from laughing.
"We're going on a date, Van," Aqua explains calmly. I'd expected something like this – Vani's always possessive of Aqua before she goes on dates, and that extends to me too now.
"Why don't you ever take me on a date?"
At ten years old, most kids at least understand the concept of dating. Vani still hasn't quite gotten it, maybe because Saïx always protects him form my and Aqua's chick flicks. Or maybe that and his other maturity issues might have something to do with Mom's sickness when she was pregnant with him, but Father insists he'll grow out of it.
Aqua half-laughs, half-sighs. "Because you're my little brother."
"What if I was your big brother? What if I was big like Terra?"Vani spits the name.
"Van." Aqua gives him that look that Mother always used on us whenever we tried to avoid chores or begged for an extra scoop of ice cream or didn't listen to Father. Even though Saïx has the same color eyes as Mom, he can't do that look as good as Aqua can. I think it's a girl thing. I wonder if I could do it if I tried. "Dating is only for boys and girls who aren't related. Father and I have both explained this to you already."
"But you always get to have fun without me," Vani grumbles, crossing his arms. "And now Xion gets to have fun without me too."
Aqua melts a little, smiling. "You'll get to do the same when you're older."
She goes to ruffle his hair, but he grabs her wrist and shoves her hand away. "Stop treating me like a kid!"
"Stop acting like one," I can't help retorting, but I flinch when Aqua glares at me like I'm just as bad as he is. Then Vanitas kicks me in the shin and runs away, leaving me wincing in pain and Aqua rubbing her temples. I know she feels responsible for him, which is dumb because however much she acts like it, she's not his mom. It's not fair that she has to feel guilty whenever he does anything stupid. Which is most of the time.
"I was going to offer to do something with him next week…" She sighs.
"He'll be fine." I shrug. It's hard to feel bad for Vani when he can be such a brat. My shin still hurts; that kid has toes of steel. "Fine enough to pester Terra and Axel when they get here."
And I was right. The doorbell rings twenty minutes later, and Aqua opens the door for Terra. Before either of them can say a word to each other, Vanitas appears out of nowhere and pounces on him.
"You better be really nice to my sister, or I'm going to sic Flood on you," he says, tugging on Terra's less-casual-than-usual shirt. Flood's probably about a hundred years old in hamster years, but he's lived through Vani's abuse (including being painted blue) and he's still just as good at biting as ever. I wonder if he's even a normal hamster; he was a Christmas present from Uncle Xehanort, and I know he's not normal.
Terra winks at Aqua. "I've got that taken care of, Van."
"And you better tell her she's beautiful and you love her."
Terra and Aqua both flush, leaving an awkward silence until I tell Vani to go bother Saïx.
"Saïx is on a special mission," he reminds me. Right. I wonder if Father chose tonight to send Saïx present-scouting, or whatever it is, so he wouldn't have to sit around with Vani while Aqua and I go out.
"Then go play Power Rangers or something."
He smirks and takes off up the stairs, apparently satisfied with the awkwardness he's caused.
Terra clears his throat, still pink in the face. "He's right."
"Hm?" Aqua glances up at him, eyes sparkling. They're pretty close to each other, and I'm not sure I should be watching them, so I casually sit on the couch and pretend I'm not eavesdropping.
"You're beautiful, and I love you." Terra's voice is so low I can barely hear it. I sneak a glance over my shoulder to see Aqua's reaction, but her back is facing me.
"Terra… I love you too." She sounds like she's smiling. I try to push down my jealously. They make it sound so easy…
He breathes a sigh of relief.
"Did you ever doubt it?" Aqua asks.
"Aqua, you're a girl. You can't expect me to read your mind."
"I can't exactly read your mind either. Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I didn't want to mess up." He rubs the back of his head, ruffling up spikes that had been combed down. "Let me make it up to you."
"You don't have to do that…" she trails off when Terra's arm finds her waist.
"You might change your mind if you knew what I had in mind."
She whispers something I can't make out, but it makes him smile. Their closeness is making me nervous; I duck behind the couch when Terra and Aqua's lips almost meet, but I'm too slow to stop his gaze from catching mine. He freezes, but I don't see anything else that happens between them because I'm trying to pretend I don't exist.
"Um… I can give you a raincheck," Terra mutters in amusement.
"I suppose that's for the best." Aqua's voice is calm and resigned, but it has a hint of that dangerous edge that tells me I'll be in for it later. Right now I'm just glad that Terra was decent enough to not kiss her while I'm in the room. I don't care if they kiss somewhere else as long as I don't know about it. I mean, Vanitas was right about some things; she's still my sister.
I'm sure they're both thankful I (indirectly) stopped them when Father appears from the back hallway, eyebrows raised. They practically jump apart like repelling magnets, faces so red they look sunburned.
"Sensei." Terra bows quickly while Aqua brushes the wrinkles out of her turquoise shirt, and Father's face softens in amusement.
"I hope this isn't a bad time," he says lightly.
"No, not at all, Father." Aqua sneaks a look of what I think is gratitude at me. I can't help smiling a little smugly.
Then Vanitas appears out of nowhere (sometimes I think he can turn invisible, he's that sneaky) and yanks me up the stairs, so I miss whatever Father says in reply.
"Vani, what are you—"
Grinning mischievously, he holds up his hand. I tilt my head and narrow my eyes, and he rolls his.
"High-five, stupid."
"You're never going to make any friends if you talk like that." I slap his palm anyway. "What's it for?"
"Stopping Aqua from sucking face with that loser, obviously. I would've done something, but they noticed you first so I don't have to get in trouble." His grin returns.
"I didn't mean to do that! It's so embarrassing…" My face heats up. I really wasn't planning to spy on anything like that, and I didn't mean to mess things up for them either; I was just there and curiosity got the best of me…
"You mean you would've let them make out?" He gapes like I suggested feeding Flood to one of the stray cats that hang around our backyard. "Aqua's our sister!"
"Who also loves Terra and has every right to kiss him if she wants to."
"No she doesn't!" He apparently realizes he's too loud because he continues in a whisper, "She can only kiss me and you and Saïx and Father!"
I snort, trying to hold back all-out laughter. Vani's not dumb, but there are some areas where he seems paradoxically ignorant. Maybe he's so appalled by Aqua kissing anyone because she's always like a mom to him, since he wasn't even a year old when Mom passed away.
I sit on the top hardwood step, pulling him down next to me. "Vanitas, someday you'll understand."
"I'm not a kid," he growls, crossing his arms. "I get it. But I don't want all that mushy heart-bleeding garbage."
"I don't expect you to.."
"But you do." Vani glares, yellow eyes burning. His hands grip the stair so tightly they look white. "You're going to run off with Axel and leave me too."
I practice keeping my expression relaxed, taking a deep breath. "Nobody's leaving you. It's okay to love…" I break off my sentence, realizing it would make me admit more about my feelings for Axel than I'd like Vani to know.
He scowls, seeming to get the picture anyway. "Fine. Do whatever you want." His scowl morphs into a smirk. "Make out with Axel all night long for all I care," he teases.
"Vanitas!" I ball my fists.
"If he even shows up. How late is he already?"
I freeze. Embarrassment and anger are replaced by anxiety, and I run downstairs, almost falling on my face before I reach the bottom. Father's still talking to Terra and Aqua, something about being mature adults and setting a good example for me, but I don't pay attention. I'm busing looking at the analog clock on the wall, the one that has two keys for hands, they one that says Axel is already ten minutes late. Panicking, I run to the kitchen and check the digital clock on the oven to make sure. It reads 6:10 in bright red numbers.
I rush back to the living room and shift from foot to foot while I wait for Father to stop talking.
"Yes, Xion?" He finally addresses me.
"Axel's late." I hope I don't sound as worried as I feel.
"Hmm… It is quite rude to keep a young lady waiting," Father says. Great, now he's going to be biased against Axel before he even shows up. If he even shows up. I panic even more at the thought of our date going wrong before we even have a chance for it to go right.
"I'm sure he'll be here," Aqua assures me, apparently reading my mind.
"Yeah, he'd have to be a jerk to stand you up," Terra interjects. I suddenly remember that that's what got Axel dumped so many times: unreliability. I feel cold all over and half-sit, half-collapse on the couch by Aqua.
"He'll come." She puts an arm around my shoulder. Father looks grim, like he's imaging a suitable punishment for someone who stood up his daughter.
Axel wouldn't do that, right? Get my hopes up and then burn them down? No, I know he wouldn't. If nothing else, he's still my best friend. I can count on one hand the times he let me down (three), and those were all when he was dating Larxene.
Could he have forgotten the time? No, he has Kairi to remind him. So why isn't he here?
Vanitas flings himself onto my lap, which he's definitely too big for. "If he doesn't come you can play with me instead."
I push him off – gently, because I don't want to look bad in front of Father – and he sulks, leaning over the armrest beside me.
"Don't bother her, Van," Aqua says.
"He is coming." Father smiles.
"But what if he's not?" I ask anxiously, and Father points out the window behind us, where a bright red car is pulling up in the driveway. My heart jumps in relief, and I run out the door (barely remembering to throw on my jacket and scarf) before anyone knocks.
Axel isn't even out of the car before he starts apologizing. "Xion, I'm so sorry we're late, Mom took forever fussing over me and Kairi and then—"
I glomp-hug him before he can finish explaining.
"—we had to pick up Sora… heh." He hugs me back, and I feel like melting rainbows again.
"It's okay." It is now, anyway. He lets go and I back up enough to look at him – he's as handsome as ever in a nice orange vest, green scarf, and khaki pants (which I have a sneaking suspicion his mom helped him pick out), and his hair's still styled in his usual gravity-defying spikes that I always want to poke (if I was tall enough to easily reach them). It takes me a moment to realize that he's been staring at me in pretty much the same way I've been staring at him.
"Um, do you…?" I ask hesitantly, pulling at the hem of my shirtsleeve under my jacket.
"Xion… wow. You look amazing." He looks kind of stunned. I smile a little, suddenly shy under his bright green gaze.
"You do too."
Then Kairi and Sora hop out of the car, laughing about something, and Aqua, Terra, Vanitas, and Father join us from inside. Father gives Axel a disapproving look that fades slightly when he hears his honest apology.
"I trust you won't make the same mistake again," Father says.
"It wasn't really his fault—" I start to say, but Axel silences me by putting an arm around my shoulders.
"I won't," he replies.
"Good. Take care of her, and I hope you all have a wonderful night," Father says, dismissing us warmly and turning towards the house. I look up at Axel, smiling with the warmth of his arm around me. I appreciate his body heat even more with last night's snow still on the ground.
"Ready for your first date, Xi?" He asks.
I start to reply–
"Axel and Xion, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-"
Aqua clamps a hand over Vani's mouth before I can strangle him – which I'm really tempted to do, even though Father's watching us from the window.
"Come on, Van." She places a firm hand on his shoulder, but she can't stop him from finishing the rest of his rhyme as he's dragged inside. Sora and Kairi only make it worse by giggling behind me.
"He did something like that to me and Aqua too," Terra explains to Axel, who I can't look at because my face is too red. So much for all my practice.
He just laughs, which I take as a good sign. "I really wonder how he ended up related to the rest of you."
Aqua returns from taking Van inside. "He's not usually this obnoxious…"
"Yes he is," I grumble, still looking at the ground. Then I realize I must look really immature to Axel, so I look up again, resolving not to let Vani ruin my night. "Are we going to leave now?"
"Yeah, what are we waiting for?" Sora asks happily.
"We can leave now," Aqua says, pulling her keys out of her coat pocket and unlocking the light-blue minivan that's older than dirt.
"Wait, we're taking the Rainfell?" I ask. Normally I wouldn't mind so much; that's the car Aqua drives me, Saïx, and Vani in to school, but it's really beat up on the inside. The only reason we still have it is because of Mom.
"There's no other car we all fit in," Aqua points out. Of course; Saïx took his Luminary to go on his mission for Father.
"We could cram in my Earthshaker," Terra offers. He and Ven were in the Rainfell with us the time the transmission went out.
"Terra, there's no way we'll fit in that truck. There aren't enough seatbelts."
"What's so bad about the van?" Sora asks.
Aqua replies "Nothing" at the same time Kairi, Terra, and I say "Everything."
"C'mon, it can't be worse than my car," Axel says. Even though his Frolic Flame looks nice on the outside, it was his father's and even older than the Rainfell. Since Lea's a welder and mechanic, though, I trust his car more. "It's had so many parts replaced, I'm surprised it still runs."
"Well, our minivan should have more parts replaced," I reply. The door, the windshield wipers, the tires…
"Why haven't you taken it in to my dad?"
"It's still in working condition," Aqua says. Which is technically true, but it would be nice if we had another option. I don't trust the Rainfell if it starts snowing.
Sora shrugs and yanks open the sliding door, which used to be automatic. "If it works, it's good enough for me." He and Kairi climb in, taking two of the seats (that are missing headrests) in the middle row.
"If you say so, Aqua." Terra opens the driver's side door for her like a gentleman before taking shotgun, which leaves me and Axel in the very back.
"Ladies first," Axel says with a grin. I scramble undignifiedly into the back, hoping I don't look too ridiculous, and he slides into the seat on my left with about the same amount of awkwardness.
"If you have a working seatbelt, fasten it now," Terra jokes.
I see Aqua roll her eyes when she checks the rearview mirror. "Only one of the seatbelts is broken."
"Mine," Axel says after trying to click it several times. "I'll just take that seat."
Before I could point out that I could slide over and he could have my seat, he practically climbs over me to the seat on my right. Aqua glares at him in the rearview and points out exactly what I was thinking.
"Oh. Whoops." He chuckles awkwardly. "Sorry, Xion."
"I'm fine," I mumble, trying to keep my blush down. His knee is brushing mine comfortably, and his hand is close enough to hold, but I'm not that brave yet.
Then a shiver of excitement goes through me when I remember I'm actually here, now, going on a date with Axel. I've waited so long for this.
Aqua turns the key to start the car, Sora tells Kairi a joke and she laughs, and Axel oh-so-casually places his hand on mine. I smile up at him, not caring how red my face might be.
This is going to be the best night of my life.
A/N: Yes I totally just named their cars after keyblades. XD This is an AU; sue me. :P Oh, except Luminary, that's one of Saïx's claymores in 358/2 Days. Lunatic, his main claymore, sounded a bit too odd for a car name, even for me.
The Rainfell is pretty much based on a clunker van my family has. The Knights are pretty well-off, so I'm not entirely sure it makes sense for them to have such a clunker of a car… but Xion just started talking and that's what happened. Go figure; apparently it has sentimental value. I'm not a real author, I just write what the voices in my head tell me to. xP/*sweatdrop*
Sometime I'll have to write a chapter of "Between the Cracks" where Vanitas isn't so obnoxious. ^^; I really want to write him and Xion being cute with each other, because even though they get on each other's nerves they still love each other. :3 The sisterly Xion/Aqua in this was pretty fun to write. I'm the oldest of four like Aqua, but I'm more like Xion in a lot of ways. Writing this actually made me wish I had an older sister.
Xion sometimes calls her mom Mother and sometimes Mom. It depends on the memories associated with her at the particular moment. I kind of just go with what Xion's giving me. ^^;
Next up is Saïx's POV, so you guys'll have to wait just a little longer for their actual date. ^^;; Sorry, but that's how the timeline needs to go.
