A/N: Hola, brochachos!
So, if you read the a/n that I posted before this chapter, you'd know that I'm having computer difficulties. Well, my computer is working a little right now, so I immediately typed this chapter up before I lost my chance xD I made it extra long, too :D
If you haven't read the a/n that I posted before this chapter, you deff should. There's some good info in there about this story and other stuff I'm working on/plan on working on :3
Well, without further ado, here is Chapter III!
~A-Far-Off-Memory
~ chapter iii ~
"I can't believe how scared everyone is of this place!" Vanitas said incredulously as they climbed the stairs. "It's fucking cool here!"
Ven shrugged. In truth, he was just as nervous about the house as the others…something didn't feel right about it. But he just ignored it, not wanting to seem weak in front of Vanitas.
Everyone but Vanitas seemed to know about his huge crush on him. Sora often urged him to go for him, stating that maybe he'd soften him up a little. He also assured him that Vanitas swung both ways, after Ven had brought up the fact that he'd dated Xion for a year and a half.
He wanted to ask him out, he really did, but Vanitas was just so…intimidating. Whenever his eyes met those stunning golden ones, he found that speaking became too difficult. Every time Vanitas smiled at him or even just smirked, it took his breath away. But maybe if he stuck with him like this, he'd gain the courage.
Maybe.
"Well, I'm impressed, Ventus. I didn't expect you to come," the black-haired teen admitted with a grin. He slung an arm around the blue-eyed teen's shoulders, nearly making him faint in shock. "Not just because of the house, but because…well, not many people really like being alone with me." His voice was a breathy whisper in Ven's ear, turning him redder than a tomato.
"I-I don't see why," he stuttered out. He then cleared his throat, continuing. "I don't think you're all that bad."
At his words, a smile pulled at Vanitas' lips. Not a grin, not a smirk…a real, genuine smile. It really suited him. "Thanks, Ven. Nice to know that there are people who don't see me as a total ogre."
"None of us see you as an ogre," the blond told him, smiling. "You're just…a little standoffish, and kinda self-absorbed…not to mention a little rude…but you're you, and we all accept you for that." Embarrassed, he turned his face away, scratching the back of his neck.
It was silent for a moment. Then Vanitas punched Ven's arm lightly, grinning. "You're too honest and nice for your own good, Ventus." His golden eyes softened. "But thanks."
Ven shrugged bashfully, smiling. "No problem."
Vanitas flipped the flashlight on, shining it around. "Where should we go?"
The blond shrugged. "You pick, I don't really care," he responded, glancing around. Silently, he added, not as long as I'm with you.
"Let's look in here." He moved toward the nearest door, Ventus following faithfully behind. They opened the door and shone the flashlight around. "Okay, that's a little gross," the black-haired teen commented, wrinkling his nose at the maggot-infested carcass of a pigeon that laid on the floor near the window. "Someone needs to clean this place up."
Ven laughed, muffling the sound with his hand. "I'm sure someone would if people weren't so terrified of this place. It's a shame, because this was probably a really nice house once," he said, cerulean eyes falling on an old broken piano in the corner. "It's sad."
Vanitas grinned. "Well once people hear that we stayed here all night, I'm sure they'll stop being wimps and start fixing this place up."
The blue-eyed teen raised an eyebrow. "You really aren't scared at all, are you?" he questioned, marveling at the taller teen's bravery.
"There's no reason to be," he replied with a shrug. "Ghosts don't exist—there are no vengeful spirits of insane motherfuckers that probably never even existed, and we aren't gonna hear and 'victims' screaming tonight. It's all a load of crap, Ven. Stories told to keep kids from coming in here and getting hurt like Zexion did. This place is just old and falling apart."
"I guess that would make sense," the blond murmured in agreement.
They left the room then, finding nothing of interest. "Are you scared, Ven?" Vanitas questioned, smirking.
"Not really," he lied, shrugging nonchalantly. "I mean, I rationally understand that ghosts aren't real and stuff, but there's a part of me that kinda wonders. After all, there's a bit of truth in every story," he explained, running a hand through his cornflower spikes.
They peeked into another room, finding that it was empty and continuing on.
"Well I guess we'll find out tonight," the golden-eyed teen snorted, wiggling his fingers teasingly.
Ven chuckled to hide his nerves. "Guess so."
They explored the rest of the floor, finding nothing interesting. They'd found more carcasses—birds, mice, rats…and plenty of dead bugs. It was disgusting, really.
They were about to head back downstairs when Ven looked up. "Hey, Vanitas…is that an attic?" he asked, pointing to the hatch in the ceiling.
Golden eyes widened in excitement. "Ven, you're a genius!" he exclaimed. He immediately knelt, locking his fingers together and holding his hands out. "Here, I'll boost you up—tell me if you see anything cool!"
Taking a deep breath to avoid panicking, Ven stepped onto the outstretched hands, allowing himself to be lifted upwards. He pushed against the hatch, causing it to give way after a few seconds and release a cloud of dust. Coughing, he pushed it aside, gulping as he was lifted high enough so that he could pull himself up. The flashlight was then handed to him, and he shone it around with shaking hands.
Dust covered everything in a thick blanket, as well as dead bugs. It smelled damp and musty up there, and Ven had to resist the urge to sneeze or plug his nose.
"Anything?" Vanitas called up to him after a moment.
Ventus shone the flashlight around, finding plenty of old things like clothes and trunks full of who knows what. When he shone it to his right, he found a dusty old box that looked like it was filled with folders or something. "Um…just a box full of some old folders maybe?" he called back, creeping over to said box.
"Dude! Pass it down!" the black-haired teen told him excitedly.
Sighing, Ventus lifted the box, grunting from the unexpected weight. A shiver went through him as soon as he came in contact with it, but he ignored it and carried it to the hatch so that he could hand it down to Vanitas.
"Anything else?" the teen below asked, looking up.
"Not really," the blond responded, shining the flashlight around again. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, seeing the shadow of something small darting behind an old armoire.
"What?"
Ven swallowed hard, taking a breath to soothe his wildly beating heart. "I just thought I saw something…must have been my imagination."
"Come down then, I'll help you," Vanitas said, stretching his hands upward.
Nodding to himself, he crawled to the edge of the hatch and gently tossed the flashlight down. Vanitas caught it and set it on the floor beside him, reaching his arms up to help Ven.
The blue-eyed teen was just lowering himself when he heard a scream. It startled him so much that he lost his grip with a shout, sailing through the air toward the floor. He braced himself for impact, anticipating the pain…
…but it never came.
Instead of hitting the floor, he landed on something soft and warm. Looking down, he found a grinning Vanitas laying under him, arms wrapped firmly around him. Blushing, he opened his mouth to thank him and apologize, but the words died on his lips as he met those entrancing golden eyes. The scream was forgotten as their eyes locked together, a metaphorical bubble forming around them.
At the same time, they both leaned closer. When their lips were only inches apart, Vanitas suddenly shook his head and sat up, gently moving Ven off his lap and cleared his throat. He stood, rubbing the back of his neck and looking nervous.
"Um, we should, ah…we should probably go check out what's going on, that scream sounded like it came from Sora, sooo…" He lifted the box and the flashlight, handing the latter to the blond. "C'mon, Ven."
As they reached the stairs, Ven murmured, "Thanks for catching me, Vanitas."
The black-haired teen paused, turning his head to look at him. Slowly, he smiled that wonderful smile again. "I'd never let you fall, Ven," he said softly…and then he continued on, like he hadn't said anything at all, but it was okay because Ven had heard him, and he felt all fuzzy inside.
"This place is kinda gross," Sora mumbled, glancing around the room they stood in. There were cobwebs everywhere, and a layer of dust and dead bugs covered everything.
"Just a little," Riku said in agreement, linking their hands together and pulling the shorter teen from the room. "But I'm sure that there's a diamond in the rough that's just waiting to be found here somewhere," he added with a wink, leaning down to nibble on the brunet's ear.
Sora grinned. "Let's hope you're right, because I'd hate to have to resort to giving everyone a free show."
They moved down the hallways, opening doors as they went. They found a few rooms that looked somewhat promising, but they decided they'd search all the rooms on the floor before settling. They could have searched the upstairs floor and the basement as well, but they could hear people in both places, which left them with only the first floor.
"Hey, this one isn't terrible," Riku remarked, glancing around the room they'd stepped into. It was clearly a bedroom—a giant bed sat in one corner. There were minimal dead bugs here, none of which were on or even near the bed.
Sora wrapped his arms around the taller teen's neck, smirking. "Works for me. I don't wanna wait anymore…I just want you."
Aqua eyes hungry, Riku lifted Sora into his arms, feeling legs wrap around his waist as lips attached themselves to his neck. He struggled to concentrate enough to kick the door shut and move to the bed, where he ripped the dusty blankets and pillows off with one hand before laying the brunet down, stretching himself over top of him.
Their lips clashed violently, hands scrambling for purchase on the shirts that covered them. Riku's tongue slipped into Sora's mouth, sliding against his tongue and drawing a moan from the teen under him, while Sora's hands slipped up the back of his shirt, nails digging into his shoulder blades.
But then Sora stopped, pulling away. What had he just heard? It sounded like…a laugh?
"What's wrong?" the silver-haired teen questioned, stroking Sora's flushed cheek with his thumb.
"Did you…did you hear that?" Suddenly, he began to feel uneasy. It felt like there were eyes on him, eyes other than Riku's.
Riku chuckled. "Hear what?" His lips moved to Sora's neck, and he began sucking on the spot directly below his ear.
Sora's eyes shuttered in pleasure, his fingers moving up to tangle in long silver hair. "N-never mind, it was probably nothing," he breathed, arching up into the teen above him.
Riku hummed against his skin, slowly beginning to move lower. He left red marks in his wake, marking the brunet as his. Sora writhed under him, clutching his hair like a lifeline and moaning softly. His eyes were shut, his breathing hitched, making Riku smirk into his neck.
Their bodies began grinding together, pulling groans from each of them. Riku detaching his mouth from Sora's neck, panting, causing the brunet to open his eyes and give him a questioning, impatient look.
But those eyes quickly went wide as they spotted an obsidian oval, along with a dark figure disappearing into it. A startled scream escaped him, and Riku quickly whipped around in time to see the oval disappear.
Sora's breathing sped up, and his palms began to sweat. His gut feeling had been right before—someone or something had been watching them.
"What…what was that?" the taller teen questioned slowly, aqua eyes wide.
"I don't know," replied Sora shakily, cobalt eyes filling with moisture. "I-I saw someone disappear into it…someone was watching us, Riku!"
"Shh, shh…"Riku soothed him, seeing that he was starting to go into hysterics. He sat up and rolled off of the smaller teen, only to pull him into his lap and rock him slowly. "I'm sure it was nothing, Sora. We're just seeing things. This house is just making us a little paranoid, okay?"
Taking a shuddering breath, he nodded. "Yeah, that must be it…" There was no other explanation.
Riku stood, setting Sora down and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, let's go back to the others. I don't think it's good for us to be alone," he murmured, kissing his boyfriend's head.
Sora let himself be led back out, curling into Riku's warmth. He spared one last glance back, meeting eerie golden eyes before quickly turning away, burying his face in Riku's chest.
Oooh, ghosty voyeur~
Haha what did you guys think? Stuff's starting to happen, y'all. Shit's about to start hitting the fan, FYI. The first death is only a few chappies away! How exciting :D
Who do you think it'll be? Guess correctly, and you just may get a prize! Yay for prizes~~~
So hopefully I'll get all my AkuRoku oneshots and stuff and maybe a few more chapters of this typed before my computer decides to crap out on me...*fingers crossed*
Until next time, brochachos!
~AFOM