Set in Disney Town.

Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts.
I sincerely appreciate the Reviews, which were more than I could have dared to hope for.
I am tempted to end the story here, really, just because I think the ending I wrote is awkward.
But... I owe you enough to still post the next - and last - thousand words.

And, what Vanitas wanted to ask Aqua is probably exactly what you're thinking.

So, I hope you all enjoy this Chapter!

DISCLAIMER [I do not own Kingdom Hearts] DISCLAIMER

ESCAPE

A way to break free from destiny…

Apparently, a game or two meant three games of Fruitball, five rounds of Rumble Racing, and a strange version of Pinball using a gigantic wall of springs and pins that Aqua discovered underground yesterday. Much to his annoyance, Vanitas lost two out of three in Fruitball, he did not win a single race – thanks to Aqua and those dastardly projectiles of her Glider – and if there could be a winner at that Pinball game, he was sure Aqua would have that victory, too.

Obviously, when Master Xehanort dragged him out of Ventus, he left all the gaming skills behind. Vanitas frowned at yet another reason to hate his Master. He groaned in annoyance as he paced back and forth on the rooftop that a passage on the Pinball wall led to.

"So," Aqua said as she sat on one of the crates at the corner, "still think that being a kid is so terrible?"

He glared at her. "Losing to you was the worst experience of my life!"

"Were the worst experiences," she corrected him with a smirk, mocking him about his multiple losses.

He fumed and she laughed. "Van, I am only teasing you…" she said softly.

He grabbed his head again, feeling the darkness pulsate within him.

"Van?" she said, concerned.

"I'm fine," he muttered, just before she could touch him on the shoulder.

"You did win, one time," she said, as if that would comfort him.

He snorted. "Yeah, because you slipped on a banana peel…"

She laughed. "And didn't you think that was funny?"

He paused for a minute, remembering the moment, and he had to laugh, too. He stopped quickly, though, because he suddenly recalled his question. He could not believe he had been so absorbed in their games that he had forgotten about it.

"Aqua, listen, I -"

His stomach growled. Really loudly.

Aqua suppressed another laugh, her hand over her mouth. "You're hungry," she stated. "Come on, why don't we go have some ice cream?"

And Vanitas was ashamed at how his face lit up.

"Really?" he asked her. "You're not pulling my leg here, right? I can have…an ice cream?"

"Sure," she said, a little confused. "You can have two, if you want."

Master Xehanort would kill him if he so much as took a single bite of ice cream. For some reason, the old man had issues with the frozen dessert. In fact, because of that, Vanitas had to hide his little Prize Pods very, very, carefully. If Master Xehanort so much as caught a whiff of their existence…

Aqua took his hand. "Shall we?"

He cringed a little because having his hand held was entirely new to him, but it was strangely not unpleasant. "Sure…" he muttered and they made their way to the Main Plaza.

"So, which ice cream would you like?" Aqua asked.

And Vanitas felt that pang of shame again as he eagerly looked at all the yummy flavors. He would gladly be a kid for ice cream, seriously. He wanted them all. He wanted at least one of each, and maybe two of that Big Bad Pete.

He heard Aqua giggle beside him, amused by his indecisiveness. "How about I choose for you?"

He scowled at her. What a stupid suggestion. But he only shrugged. She chose Fabracadabra for herself and Honeybunny for him. Vanitas grabbed it eagerly from her and bit into it even before she had paid for it. Why he was so eager to have ice cream, he was not quite sure. It was not as if he has ever had any of the stuff before. He assumed it must have been something Ventus liked, and now that he has had a taste, he could understand why. The stuff was awesome!

Aqua led him away from the shop to one of the benches and they sat down. She was smiling at him, eating her own ice cream in a much neater fashion than he was. But as if Vanitas really cared about being neat. All he wanted to do was gobble it all up and get another one. That was until…

"Ven, you are such a messy eater." And she moved to wipe off the bit of honey that had dropped onto his shirt, but he grabbed her wrist before she could do so. His grip was painfully harsh.

"What did you call me?" he hissed through clenched teeth. He was overcome by so much wrath, he wasn't sure if he could hold it in.

Her hand fell limp and, despite the pain from his grip, she did not try to pull away. She looked into his golden eyes, which were aflame with anger. "Van, I… I am so sorry, it was just…"

He found the will to let go of her wrist before he caused any serious bruises, his now-free hand pressing against the side of his head. She had called him Ven! Had she been thinking about Ventus this entire time? While caring for his wound, while playing games with him, while teasing him and making him laugh and making him feel like he was…

"Ven is a friend of mine," she explained, looking away from him. "I am so sorry. You… You just remind me of him."

"This whole time?" he asked, still gritting his teeth.

She turned to him again, her expression truly sorry. "Van… I…"

"Have you been thinking about him this whole time?" he growled, demanding an answer.

"No," she said, shaking her head defensively. "Not the entire time…"

"What then? The last hour? The last four hours? How long?" Vanitas knew it was dangerous to press the matter further. She might realize something, she might ask awkward questions, but he needed to know.

"The first five minutes…" she murmured. "And just now…"

He breathed deeply, trying to wrest his fury back into the little cavern in his chest. He could already see Aqua flinching uncomfortably from his darkness, and he had worked so hard and so long to hide it from her. He hadn't even asked his question yet.

"Your ice cream is melting," he said suddenly in an attempt to wave off the tension.

She blinked a few times. "Oh," she mumbled. "Well… So is yours…"

She was right, too, and he hastily finished his melting dessert. She did the same. Then they allowed a moment of awkward silence to grow between them. He wiped the drop of honey off his shirt and absently licked it off his finger.

"I am really sorry…" she said again.

Vanitas shrugged. "Yeah. Okay…"

"Are you angry with me?"

He snorted. He was always mad at her. It was his nature to be. And, honestly, he was especially mad at her now. "No," he lied.

"Are you sure?"

"Ask again, and it might change."'

She quieted, as if thinking of something else to say, but Vanitas spoke first. "Did you mean what you said earlier?"

"Hmm?"

"About me being… your friend…"

"Oh," she said, realizing that he was talking about what she told Horace. "Well, yes. If you want to be, you could be…"

He looked at her, his expression serious. He knew just how to ask his question. "What if I am not the kind of person anyone should have for a friend?"

"What do you mean?"

His eyes were right on hers. "Have you ever done anything that you know is wrong, but you had to do it just because you were… You were born to do it? Like it has been engraved in your heart and mind from the moment you were… created?"

She frowned. "Everyone has the ability to make their own choices, Van..."

He smiled mirthlessly. "Some things are destined, Aqua," he told her. "Some people do things because they have to, because that is why they exist, no matter how horrible that thing is."

She was still frowning, and he knew that she could not understand him. He tried again. "Is there something you feel you need to do? A purpose that you just cannot ignore?"

She thought for a minute. Vanitas could only guess at her thoughts, but he was sure it must be about Terra and Ventus. Who else would she be thinking about? "Yes," she answered finally. "There is something I feel I need to do."

"And do you ever consider that there are people you hurt along the way? Isn't it inevitable, Aqua, that while you do everything in your power to fulfill your purpose, there are those who must suffer for your actions?"

She paused again. "But… I… That isn't…" she stuttered.

He smirked. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

And she looked at him with an expression that was almost – just almost – frightened, as if for once she looked beyond the youthfulness of his appearance and saw something far darker underneath. "Why are you asking me these questions, Van?"

"Because I want to know… Do you think that there is a way to break free from destiny; that you could simply not do that thing you feel you need to do? And do you think you could ever be forgiven for all the damage you have caused, the wrong you have committed?"

Aqua thought it over for a minute. "Your first question, probably not. Thinking about what I feel I need to do, I don't think I could ever not do it. I could never turn my back on them or break my promises."

Vanitas smirked for a second. He was right; she was thinking about Terra and Ventus. And he envied them, wondering if they paused to think that someone out there always had their best interests at heart. And if they had her best interests at heart, too... He wondered if they would come to her rescue if they knew in whose presence she currently was.

Aqua continued speaking. "You make a choice in the beginning, and see it through to the end. Changing halfway is…" She shook her head. "I don't think it's possible. Or if it is, it will not be easy."

"I see…" he mumbled.

"Your second question…" she murmured. "If you did them willingly and knowingly, and without valid reason, then I don't see why you deserve forgiveness. If you have always known they were wrong and you did them anyway…" She allowed her voice to fade. She clearly did not like discussing such a topic. "I… I don't know…"

Her words stung him, but he was careful not to show it. "Even if he were a friend… Could you not forgive him?"

"Van, what… Why…?"

He shook his head and forced a smile onto his face. "Were my questions scary or something? You look really pale." He touched her face very tenderly, lightly brushing his thumb over her lips as his hand caressed her cheek, and she blushed. "That's better," he said.

She turned away from him. "I do want you to be my friend, Van, if that means anything to you."

"It means everything to me…" he whispered under his breath.

"Huh?" she said, not quite hearing him, but he did not repeat himself. He had no need to purse the topic any more. She had given him the answers he sought. He looked for a distraction, so he could change the subject, and he spotted one.

"What do you think they're lining up for?" he asked her.

She followed his line of sight towards a booth where a few people were lined up. "I don't know. Would you like to find out?"

He snorted. "No. It's probably something stupid or useless. Or both, more likely."

She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Then why did you ask in the first place?" She took his hand and dragged him up off the bench towards the line of people. Apparently, they were lining up to have their picture taken.

"No way," Vanitas said, growling almost.

"Come on, it will be fun," Aqua said, keeping a firm hold on him.

There were three other pairs ahead of them, and that should have given Vanitas enough time to free himself from Aqua, but for some reason he couldn't. He would never admit that he did not try hard enough, but whatever the case, they finally made it to the front of the line.

The photographer was a cow with a very annoying voice, much to Vanitas' dismay. She told them that they could pick whatever hat or mask they want to wear for their photo and before Vanitas could blink, Aqua had slipped a headband on him.

"What the heck is this?" he yelled, ripping it off his head. It was a black headband with two large, black circles that were probably supposed to be ears.

Aqua had one on, too, that was the same as his except hers had a red bow between the black circles. "Please, Van?" she begged, grabbing the headband and placing it on his head again. "It looks so cute on you."

The cow told them to pose for the picture. Aqua stood behind Vanitas, with her arms draped over his shoulders and crossed in front of his chest. She leaned forward so that her face was right beside his, their cheeks touching. And he wanted to rip his heart out of his chest just because of the way it suddenly started beating erratically.

"Smile, you two!" the cow said.

Vanitas felt his eye twitch.

"Come on, kiddo, you know how to smile, don't you?" the cow cooed at Vanitas.

Aqua laughed a bit. "He doesn't like being called kiddo."

And just because she said that, Vanitas found himself smiling.

Moments later, the printed photo was handed to them and Vanitas frowned. "I look like a rat," he grumbled.

"A cute rat," she said, ruffling his hair.

"There is no such thing as a cute rat," he retorted. He looked at Aqua in the photo. Even with that ridiculous headband she looked unbelievably beautiful. "How could you wear the same thing and not look like a rat?" he asked.

She laughed. "Is that your way of complimenting me?"

He glared at her. "No," he said. Why was she such an idiot? "If I wanted to compliment you, I would have said you look beautiful."

"Do I?"

"Yes." And then, in the blink of an eye, he added, "Wait, no! I mean… "

"You mean…?"

He lowered his gaze. "I mean… Yes, you look very beautiful…"

She sighed, and he caught a sad undertone to it.

"What?" he snapped, looking up at her. It was probably not the proper tone of voice to use with someone who was sad, but that was just the way he was. And, besides, he had no time to correct his tone because she suddenly embraced him.

"I don't know how I could have mistaken you for Ven. He would never have done these with me…" she said.

"Why not?" Vanitas asked, frowning as she broke their contact.

She shook her head. "He just wouldn't have… I don't think he enjoys my company half as much as… Well, he just likes spending more time with our other friend."

"That makes him an idiot," Vanitas said. If he had been in Ventus' place, he would choose Aqua over Terra in a heartbeat. But he could never be in Ventus' place. He could never be Aqua's friend, and definitely not anything more. Not after what she said…

"Can I keep it?" he asked her, indicating the photo.

"Sure," she answered.

He took it, looked at it one moment more, and then slipped it into the pocket of his shorts.

'You're welcome?" she said, waiting for his thanks.

"Thank you," he muttered. They weren't words he was accustomed to saying. He looked up at her, looked into her eyes, and then he touched her hair, and her face. He would never be this close to her again. At least, not until the day he would have to kill her…

"Van? Is everything alright?" she asked, placing her hand over the one he had pressed against her cheek.

"I have to go," he said.

"Oh," she said, a little disappointed.

He lowered his hand and turned around, hurriedly walking away. He was losing control. But control of what, exactly, he was not entirely sure. If he said anything more, if he let his touch linger, if he looked into her blue eyes for just one more second…

"Van!" she called.

"Yeah?" he said, trying very hard not to face her. He might not be able to handle it. He was unsure what would happen. And he was not keen on finding out.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked.

Without looking at her, he answered, "Probably not."

Thank You

~Alacquiene~