Notes:

Song of the Arc: Ray of Light by Shoko Nakagawa

Song of the Chapter: Geronimo by Sheppard

After a week of practice Riku had finally gotten a bit better at his dancing. Not that he'd let anyone know. He hoped no one had found out anyway. It was for Naminé's sake and no one else's so no one else needed to know.

During the week three camps had organically grown between the people staying at Disney Castle during the quarantine wanting for Truth who never showed their face. It was all based around who spent time with Vanitas as he recovered.

The ones who spent the least amount of time were Mickey and Minnie, who made it very clear that while he was a guest his darkness was absolutely not welcome and mostly refused to visit him when others were not around.

Aqua and Terra were next, who at first only very reluctantly went to see Vanitas to gather any information they could or to see Ventus, who spent most hours of the day with Vanitas. Aqua had changed her disposition of the boy from hated to finding him an annoyance, which was progress in Riku's eyes. Terra had entered into a rivalry of sorts with Vanitas and the two seemed eager to butt heads when they could. Telling each other that they'd really settle their score when Vanitas got healthy enough to use his keyblade.

Then was the final camp, Aqua had called them the "kid camp" once, much to their collective chagrin. Ventus had spent most of his waking non-training hours in his room. The two really hit it off after Ventus said he was going to keep coming until Vanitas could stop him and soon Vanitas stopped trying to stop the boy from entering as it was a futile effort. Naminé had to wait for Riku, who got off of training before Ventus, before seeing Vanitas so she usually took her breakfast outside his door.

Naminé was also the first to advocate for books and analog games to be given to Vanitas to make his time more stimulating, Minnie agreed so long as Naminé would try on various dresses and accessories for her. Sora and Kairi were never separated too long from each other if they could help it so they usually came and left together and since Riku had spent so much time with Naminé the couple were often there as well.

Today Naminé was in a seafoam colored dress with fancy frills and complementary shoes and accessories. Riku gave a small wave which she returned as she finished her toast again leaving butter and honey on her face to be cleaned off by Riku. "You really need to learn how to eat, Princess." For some reason it tasted sweeter coming off her. "You really are looking more and more like royalty, I hope you're okay with all this attention.

"It's okay, the dresses look nice even If I need help getting into them. And if it's for Van I see no reason not to. Though she really needs to tailor the chest correctly." She placed her hand of that area and Riku had to mentally shake himself so he did not look at the short girl's body.

Never change, really.

There was an argument beyond the door and it seemed it was getting very heated. "I suppose Ven got the day off from training." Riku said hearing the struggle.

"He's been in there for a bit. I wanted to wait for you, I like my schedule." Hearing that made Riku's heart flutter a bit before the commotion beyond the door got worse and he sighed.

"No end with these two." He quickly opened the door and walked in yelling, "Were you two raised in a barn?!"

Ventus was straddling Vanitas and held his hands with their fingers interlocked. "Oh sorry, were we being too loud?" Ventus looked confused if not nonchalant while Vanitas had a healthy shade of pink to his face. Naminé gasped and took out her sketchbook to work furiously while Riku just shook his head in disappointment. "He said he could still beat me in a fight so I was showing him how easy it was to stop him." The had a struggle of strength but Vanitas was slowly being pushed into the bed.

"You idiot, spells can still work if I have the spoken component!" Vanitas yelped.

Ventus' face was right next to his. "Then I'll just need something to stick in your mouth."

"All right that's enough." Riku yanked Ventus off of the still healing boy from the scruff of his neck like a cat. "You should really learn some boundaries, Ven." Out of the corner of his eye he could see Vanitas, was he relieved Ven was off of him or was he pouting a bit.

"And finished!" Naminé held out her sketchbook, it was a fairly high quality drawing of the two but highly dramatized. Stars were around the two, Vanitas had his chest showing, for some reason their hands were larger, and Ventus looked much more… seductive.

"Has Xion been sharing her BL manga again?" Riku questioned.

Naminé rubbed the back of her head embarrassed. "Eh, mayyyybeee." Riku sighed and shook his head.

Ventus studied the drawing intently. "Nah, I don't see it. Vani is much more grumpy. You've smoothed him out too much. His charm is gone." Vanitas yelled about that as Sora and Kairi came in and later Aqua and Terra joined. Aqua scolded Ventus for his behavior and to understand boundaries.

Naminé noticed Vanitas looking around and noticing everyone laughing and playing with each other. "Having fun, Van?"

Vanitas scoffed, "Pft, with all of you? You wish."

"Mmm," she said simply. She tore the page from her book and handed it to him. "You keep it, it's yours after all."

"Yeah, yeah, just put it in the nightstand. I'll trash it later." Naminé did as she was told with a knowing look that made Vanitas look away.

"It's okay." She said softly enough that only Vanitas could hear her. "We'll wait for you until you're ready." Around him were happy smiling faces, loud laughter, and people honestly sharing themselves. "We always will." Vanitas was taken aback and throughout the night took worried glances around. He was on edge until the last of them, Ventus, left.

Vanitas stared at the ceiling. His chest was nearly healed. He would laugh if it made any difference. He was darkness, his blood black, and his heart split. He did not belong here. His presence was a stain of black in their precious white. And yet…

Why did it hurt? Why did he care? Why did he want to be around here? With… people. Misery, despair, negativity. That's who Vanitas is. Not this. Never this. This light, these feelings… this happiness. That could only be afforded to Ventus. To his Light.

That night, for the first time, Vanitas cried from a true sadness in his heart.

Morning again, after his practicing he went to Vanitas again however this time Naminé was loudly arguing with Ventus. Her mint colored dress looked too good to be tarnished with this. "Hey calm down," Riku spoke up as he got close. "What's going on?"

Naminé hurriedly spoke as she tried to keep Ventus back from the door. "Van said he didn't want to see Ven anymore. Please Ven, he made me promise him."

"He's just in one of his moods! Just like the first day he woke up. I'll just go in there and tell him off and-"

Riku grabbed his shoulder to calm him. "Hang back, Ven. Let us talk to him, okay?" Ventus clearly not happy about it acquiesced to the proposal. "That's alright, right? He only said Ven couldn't come in?"

Naminé looked down. "Technically, yeah, but…"

Riku put on a brave face. "Well, I'm no Sora but let's try this."

Opening the door and quickly closing it so Ventus could not come in they saw Vanitas covering his face with a pillow. "I don't care, get out." Vanitas' muffled voice rang out.

"Van, I know you don't feel like talking-" Naminé started but was interrupted.

"Yeah you're right, I don't. I'll kill you if don't leave."

"And that's why I'm here." Riku said grabbing the pillow from his face. They both struggled but Riku won the day and pulled the pillow away. He wished he had not. Vanitas' eyes were red and puffy, his face red and stained with past tears. Vanitas was a mess in all senses of the word.

"What do you want to humiliate me now too?" The raven haired boy roared. "Why couldn't you just get it over with? Why drag it out?" Just end it!"

"Van," Riku reached out for him.

"Don't fucking touch me!" He cried out one more time. "Don't fucking touch me, don't…" he sobbed unintelligible words.

"Van… you can talk to us." Naminé sat in the chair next to the bed and waited for him.

"…"

Say something.

"I think you like Ven!" Riku blurted out. Vanitas stared at him even Naminé was stunned. Riku pulled out a gamble, did it even matter if it was correct?

"Is he an idiot? Of course it's about Ven." Vanitas straightened out after getting mad at Riku.

"He's… slow about understanding this stuff. It's been… very annoying." Naminé said with a sigh and a shake of her head.

"Oh wow, nail on the head." Riku said under his breath. "So what's with all this then? I mean, wouldn't you want to talk to him?"

"Do you even understand? I'm darkness incarnate, evil, I'm negativity, and… a guy."

Riku scratched his head. "Is it that bad?"

"Riku!" Naminé shouted. "Please. That's insensitive."

"I'm just saying… I'm pretty sure we have enough flags in our group to host a parade." Riku shook his head to try and return to being serious. "I mean, I used to have a crush on Sora. He was my reason for growing stronger. Then there's Lea and Isa."

"Kairi's kissed Selphie before, though she's with Sora now that doesn't mean she doesn't still like girls. I… well gender and sex don't matter to me." Naminé added.

"Is Xion kinda trans adjacent? She was based on Sora's memories but I guess she's a girl so…" Riku pondered out loud as Vanitas stopped him.

"Okay, okay, I get it! The world was apparently saved by the gayest bunch of teenagers. But… I'm still darkness. I'm still me."

Naminé smiled at him, "Do you really think Ven would stop reaching his hand out to you?"

Vanitas was rendered speechless. Did he think so? Did he want it to be like that? Riku was not a mind reader, he could not tell what Vanitas wanted. He could help him with what he needed though. "We can give you all the time you want Van but are you really sure you want Ven out of your life?"

"What if he says no?"

"What if he says yes?"

Vanitas struggled with himself. He finally relented after Naminé put her hand on his. "Fine, let him in."

"Just be forward with him okay? And… be ready for… anything." Naminé said gently, rejection would hurt but it was better to know than to have it linger forever.

Riku opened the door and let Ventus in. Ventus walked in with his trademarked smile. "Geez, see? I told you he was just in a moo-"

"I LIKE YOU, GO OUT WITH ME!" Vanitas shouted out to the heavens.

Naminé sighed. "Maybe not that forward."

Ventus stood in shock as he tried to understand what just happened and both boys' faces were red from embarrassment.

"We should really go, Riku. Let's let them talk it out now." Naminé got up walked over to Riku to push him out of the room to leave them alone.

"Wait, Naminé. My part of the deal!" Naminé's ears perked up as he talked, "Yeah, Ven and I are both still connected to Sora. So is it." She closed the door to the room behind them. Those two had a lot to talk about.