Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

Chapter 7 – Terra's New Friend


Terra spent the entire rest of the day and night thinking about Aqua kissing his cheek. Even as he lay in bed that night, he could still feel the soft pressure of her lips where they'd touched him. Her short hair had tickled his cheek as she'd moved away.

Terra then realized he liked what had happened. He'd wanted her to do that for who-knows-how-long. Terra didn't know or care. He'd just realized was that he had feelings for his best friend. And he'd had them for a long time too.

Now he understood why he was always angry when Caelum tried to get close to Aqua. It was jealousy. But what did he have to fear of that obnoxious prince winning Aqua's affection? She didn't even like him.

But still… did she return Terra's feelings? Aqua had kissed him, so it seemed that way. But it wasn't an answer.

Terra sat up and looked out the window. It was still dark out, but the first rays of sunlight were peaking over the water's far off horizon. The youth figured he'd sleep off the rest of his uneasy feelings.

For tonight… he would tell Aqua how he felt.


Shortly after breakfast, Nox sent Terra and Aqua to the castle tailor to fit them with appropriate clothes for the evening. Aqua had grumbled that she would rather eat a cockroach than wear a dress at a party, but the king didn't hear her.

The castle's seamstresses were all kind women. The only boy present was the eldest's grandson, who helped with small tasks, for he was so small.

The boy looked no older than nine, with windswept blonde hair and lively blue eyes. They gleamed like the eyes of someone either looking for trouble, or a way to get out of his job.

As the eldest and her assistant stood Terra on a stool, measuring him, the boy stared up in awe at him, admiring the impressive, intimidating aura Terra emitted.

"Why do you need nice clothes anyway?" the boy asked once the eldest had gotten her measurements and went to pick out fabric. Dark colors, as Terra had politely requested.

"Aqua and I are being forced to go to Caelum's party," Terra grumbled. "But we're also being announced as Keyblade Masters to the other people attending."

"You're the Keyblade Masters?" the boy exclaimed.

"You didn't know?" Terra cocked an eyebrow. Practically everyone in the castle knew who the Keyblade wielders were. Then again, he'd never seen this boy before. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Ventus, but most people just call me Ven," the boy said. "I've wanted to come to your practices. But grandma never lets me leave. She needs my help in here, as much as I don't like it."

Terra knelt down to the boy's eye level. "Well, why don't you reason with her and ask when to take a break, Ven?" he asked. "Not many people get to watch our practices anyway, though. Keyblade wielder abilities are a secret known only to us."

"Oh, I understand."

Ven walked over and peeked around the curtain Aqua was behind. Terra stood up again.

"Hey!" a voice objected. It wasn't Aqua. It was one of the seamstresses. "Get back with the man! Don't peek when a lady is getting fitted!"

"Get out, Ventus!" another voice, still not Aqua's, screeched.

"ACK!" Ven yelled. A sound of dull hitting came from around the curtain and Terra saw several scraps of cloth fly, three of them hit the small boy. He scampered back to Terra's side to escape the annoyed girls.

"It's no big deal," Aqua told them. "It's not like I was undressed. I'm sorry, little boy."

"It's alright, Lady Aqua," Ven said. "They do that to me all the time."

"Really?" Terra asked.

"Yep."

The earth knight snorted. "Girls like their privacy, kid. Don't bug them when they need it."

"Terra!" Aqua cried out.

"Sorry!"

"She's pretty," Ven whispered. "Do you like her?"

"Say what?" Terra asked.

"Lady Aqua. Do you like her?" he repeated, lowering his voice this time.

"Uh… I…" Terra blushed. All he received was a smile from Ven.

The old woman and her assistant still weren't back, so Terra to stepped off the stool and kneeled down to his new friend's eye level.

"Don't tell anyone," Terra whispered.

"I won't," Ven responded, also whispering. "So, do you like her or not?"

"Yes," Terra responded. "And I plan to tell her just how much I like her tonight. Keep it a secret, Ven. I want to surprise her. And don't tell Caelum if he ever comes in here."

"Why would I tell the prince?"

"We don't get along and he likes Aqua too. But she can't stand him and he'll hate me more than he does now," Terra explained. The boy's eyes widened.

"I promise I won't tell anyone," Ven promised. He dragged an imaginary zipper over his mouth to seal the deal. The Keyblade Master smiled.

"Thanks, Ven," Terra replied. He ruffled the small boy's hair.

"HEY! Get off!"

Ven's grandmother and her assistant came back a second later and forced Terra back on the stool. They started by fitting him in black pants and then tailored a navy shirt for him.

Terra felt stupid. All this fussing over getting clothes fitted. And the needles the assistant clumsily stuck into him hurt when he moved. He just wanted this day over with.

Finally, after an hour of being stuck, poked, and annoyed, Terra had clothes ready for the night. He stepped off the stool and took them from the old seamstress.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said.

"Absolutely, Master Terra," the woman said.

Being reminded that he was now a Master gave Terra a confidence boost, something he needed if he was going to tell Aqua how he felt about her.

"Aqua, you ready?" Terra called.

"She's almost done," a tailor from the other side called. "But we need a little help getting the hem of her dress just right."

"I'll come help," Ven's grandmother said. "Ventus, don't make a move." She walked around the curtain.

"'Don't make a move'?" Terra repeated. Ven nervously scratched his nose.

"She never lets me help when a girl is being fitted," Ven explained. "I don't know why." Terra wouldn't tell the boy, but he understood the woman's reason. Instead, the earth knight just shrugged.

"I'll be out later, Terra," Aqua's voice said. "Why not go do something else?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, go get some lunch or something. I'll catch up."

"Okay, Aqua." Terra turned to Ventus. "You wanna come with me?"

"Sure! Grandma, can I go with Terra? Please?"

"Master Terra, you'll keep an eye on him?" the woman responded, followed by a painful gasp that sounded like Aqua had been stuck with a pin.

"Yes, ma'am," Terra responded. "I'll keep him out of trouble. Come on, Ven." With his clothes tucked under his arm, Terra walked to the door, which was on his side of the curtain, and left with Ven at his heels.

They made a quick stop by Terra's room to drop off the clothes, which he unceremoniously tossed at the nearest armchair. They flew over the back rest and, though Terra didn't see, landed neatly in the seat.

"Kitchen it is!" Ven said. He ran off in a burst of speed without waiting for Terra to catch up.

He finally caught Ven at the kitchen.

"How are you so fast?" Terra huffed.

"I just am," Ven said. "Is that a good thing for someone who wields a Keyblade?" Ven ran into the kitchen and swiped a pear from a bowl. Terra grabbed a banana and an apple from the same bowl.

"I… don't know," Terra responded. "I don't rely on speed, so it's not important for me. It might be for another possible wielder though."

"Do you think it's possible I could do it?" Ven asked before sinking his teeth into his pear.

"It's possible for anyone," Terra said, peeling his banana. "But you need to display some kind of magical ability." He took a bite of the curved yellow fruit.

"How did it happen for you?"

"When I was seven, I jumped higher than normal for a kid my age. Aqua was scared by someone pulling a prank on her when she was six. She was so freaked out that she froze a nearby fountain."

Ven snorted. "Really?" He took an enormous bite of his pair.

"I can only believe the rumors. I never saw it. But I'm glad that she was chosen by the Keyblade."

"How come?"

Terra chewed on another banana bite before answering. "I probably never would've met her otherwise. She's my best friend. But my feelings for Aqua have gone into something even deeper, Ven. And I'm going to tell her tonight."

"Do you have any idea how you're going to say it?" Ven asked.

"I have a vague idea. I'm going to tell her how special she is to me."

"Well, I wish you luck," Ven said through a mouthful of pear. "She seems to mean a whole lot to you."

"Yeah," Terra said, putting the banana peel down and picking up the apple. "She sure does."

After they finished their fruit, one of the tailor girls came to get Ven, saying his grandmother needed him again. Ven rolled his eyes and reluctantly left after saying goodbye to Terra. The man promised he would visit Ventus in the morning and tell him about how it went with Aqua later.

Wanting privacy, Terra went back to his room and began to think about how exactly he was going to tell Aqua about his feelings for her.


Sorry I made Ven younger than he is in game, but I was a little stumped. Plus, what fifteen-year-old boy gets stuck helping his grandmother with her sewing? Making him nine just made the situation fit better.

Anyway, I'll get to chapter 8 ASAP. But it might take a little time since this week I have final exams at school. But once those are over and done with, I will continue with this story!